Time of Your Life
by Lepori
Summary: A bond broken all because of a stupid quarrel, and then renewed with a simple "sorry". Now best friends, Alfred enjoys Kiku's company, and the latter realizes that his friendship is much more than he could ever ask for. To Kiku, he was a hero. Ameripan with other various ships. AU
1. The First Day Back

A/N: Okay wow. I finally took the time to edit this chapter from when I first uploaded this story. Well, all I have to say is I can't help myself. I write new fanfics when older ones desperately need to be finished. The sad part is that Hetalia and Pokemon are the only fandoms that I still care about enough to have enthusiasm to finish the fics of said series. So...I'm gonna need extra encouragement from _somewhere_ so I can finally finish those poor other fics that have been sitting there for years...

The only warning I have for this particular story is that there will be some racial slurs, which are derogatory names used for certain ethnicities, will be used in some parts of the story, but this is to create a dramatic effect, not because I actually want to write them. Also, excuse me and my fail writing when giving some characters accented dialogue like England and France. I can't help it. OCs will be included as well, but the frequency in which they will appear and their importance to the story may vary along the way. Also, this is a high school AU. I am such an original author.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this story, whether Ameripan is your favorite Hetalia ship or not.

* * *

Chapter 1: The First Day Back

It was a cold Monday morning in early January, though if you happened to be indoors, you couldn't tell because most homes had the heaters on. One didn't even feel the frigid temperature until stepping outside to grab the newspaper or take out the trash.

Living proof that the cold wasn't noticeable was a teenage boy by the name of Alfred F. Jones, who was sound asleep in his warm bed, more than likely having dreams about burgers or being a super hero that can fly and shoot lasers from his eyes.

"Alfred!" cried a voice from outside his bedroom door. It was his twin brother, Matthew W. Jones. "Come on, get up!"

"He's still not up?"

"No, he's not. Mom, do something please!"

The woman opened the door and turned on the light. "Alfred, get up already!" This was Emily Jones, the mother of the two boys. She was an attractive woman, her most noticeable physical feature being her large breasts, and she very much acted like her sleepy-headed son. "Today is your first day back to school."

Alfred groaned. "Mom, it's the first day of the second semester…"

"It's still the first day. Now come on. Get up. I'm going to leave in a few minutes. I don't want to run late again!" She rushed to her room to finish dressing. Matthew sighed and walked over to Alfred. Unlike his older brother, he was already dressed.

"Come on Alfred, get up! If you don't, mom's going to have to drive you to school and then she'll be late. Besides, don't you like riding the school bus?"

"I don't like the cold!" exclaimed Alfred. He covered his head with the blankets and Matthew could tell that he was curled up underneath them.

"But you're not even gonna be outside! We're indoors all day except during lunch. And besides, didn't you tell me you went to the best school ever and this was the only school you'd ever attend?"

Alfred peeked from underneath his blankets. "Okay…fine…but don't whine like that anymore Matt…"

The younger twin smiled. "Okay." He walked out of the room. "I'm already making breakfast so hurry and come downstairs!" Alfred heard him rushing back to the kitchen and his mom blow drying her hair in the bathroom.

"Well, looks like it's back to school for me…" He got up and stretched, grabbing his glasses from the bedside table. "Ah, that's better!"

He got dressed and washed up, grabbing his backpack from his room. "Well, at least it's the second semester of the 11th grade year. Just one more year to go and I'll be done!"

* * *

Alfred walked downstairs and sat at the table. His brother had already laid out a plate of pancakes for him which he ate heartily. "Hey Matt," he said with his mouth full of food. "Aren't ya gonna eat?"

"Oh I ate already. I get up earlier than you do."

The blonde tried to not take that as a condescending comment, so he just continued to eat his pancakes. Not too long after, their mom came downstairs into the kitchen.

"Okay, I'm leaving now," she said, buttoning the last button on the top of her blouse. "I'm hoping I'll get out early enough to come home and make dinner so I can hear how your first day went back to school!"

"Mom, it's only the first day back of the second semester though."

"Still, I want to hear what happened. I mean, your school seems so fun, with all those cultures in it and everything! Just like our neighborhood!" She gave a squeal and Matthew laughed, Alfred shaking his head in amusement. The school the twins attended was purposely diverse in the cultures of the student body. There were only two in the country, one in California, and one in New York. The twins attended the former. These two schools were established as a baby step toward world peace, though there was still racial tension among the more immature attendees.

"Here mom," said Matthew as he handed her the coffee cup she takes to work. "Have a great day."

"You too sweetie!" She kissed his head. "Bye Al!" She kissed her other son in the same manner. "I'll see you guys later!" She grabbed her purse and her coat from the coat rack near the door and left.

"Well Al," Matthew said as he took off his apron. "We should get going. The bus comes at 7:30 and it takes ten minutes to get to the school."

"Alright." He downed his glass of milk and then put the dishes in the sink. "We'll wash those when we get home."

"Okay."

The twins put on their coats, gloves, and scarves, grabbing their backpacks after. "Al, can you put this on me please?" Matthew handed him a beanie.

"Oh, sure bro." He put it on him. Matthew looked really warm.

"Do you want one? I have an extra."

"Nah, I'm fine. I can endure the cold."

"But you just said earlier you didn't like it…"

"That doesn't mean I can't endure it!"

* * *

Alfred and Matthew walked to the bus stop on their block. A few students were already there waiting.

One of them happened to notice the twins coming towards them. "Oh Alfred, Matthew!" He waved.

"Hey Manny!" Alfred said.

"Hi Manuel."

"Oh come on, just call me Manny," he replied. "It's alright."

"Okay." Matthew didn't like calling people by their nicknames, the exception being his brother. He didn't want to because he had a personal preference of using nicknames only when he was completely comfortable around a person.

"Hello Alfred and Matthew!" said a girl next to Manuel. This was Alicia, his sister.

"Hey!"

"H-Hi…"

"Oh, hello Matthew!" said the other one. This was Eva, Manuel's youngest sister. "Ah, hello Alfred." She blushed a little bit, hiding behind Eva. Her older sister smiled. Eva always got timid around Alfred.

"Hey there!"

"Good morning Eva."

"Ready to go back to school Alfred?" asked Alicia.

"Not really. I wanted to sleep in some more…"

"Manny feels the same way. He's so lazy sometimes…"

"Hey, who was the one who got a job over winter break? That's right, me. Not you Alicia."

"Yes, but while you were at work, who was cleaning the house, _Manny_?"

"You were…"

"Then be quiet." She smiled and left it at that. Alfred laughed at Manuel's pouting face and Matthew merely smiled sheepishly.

"Oh, the bus is coming," Eva said. The five were usually the only ones at the bus stop on this block, because not a lot of high schoolers lived on this particular street. Another thing they liked about living on this block was that they were always the first ones on the bus, so they got whichever seat they wanted.

The big yellow vehicle finally pulled up at the bus stop and the door opened.

"Good morning," said the bus driver. "Ready for school?"

"Yes!" Matthew said. He liked going to school, a mindset that was always foreign to Alfred. He stepped into the bus followed by the rest.

"Hey!" cried Alfred. "Matthew, why do you get the window seat?!"

"Because you promised that I'd be able to have the window seat the first week of school!"

"Well I wanna sit there!"

"It's colder over here due to the metal and glass."

"Fine…" Alfred pouted and slumped down next to his brother on the aisle seat. Matthew knew just how to get his way sometimes. Manuel and Alicia sat in front of them and Eva before them.

The doors to the bus closed and it went on its way.

"Hey Manny, Antonio wanted me to ask you something."

"Alfred, you know I don't like him."

"Why not? He's your cousin!"

"That doesn't mean I have to like him!"

"Well okay. But he wanted me to ask you why you dislike him so much."

"Oh he knows. He just wants to be in denial…" He began to mumble something in Spanish under his breath, more than likely curse words towards his cousin.

Alfred smiled and shook his head, sitting back down in his seat. Eva glanced back quickly when he wasn't looking. _I wish I could sit next to him...even if only a few times._ She was only shy around him, rarely anyone else, unless she was meeting them for the first time. Of course, there were times when Alfred would do obnoxious things that got on her nerves (and the nerves of some other people) but she usually got over them...most of the time.

The bus continued to move silently for a few minutes. Alfred wondered how this semester was going to go. Once these few months were over, he only had one school year left before he was to graduate. He looked forward to that date very much.

"Ah, the next bus stop!" Matthew said as he looked out the window. Once the yellow vehicle came to a halt, the students waiting there climbed in. Two attractive African girls, Radhi and Jendayi, went to the back after saying good morning to the rest on the bus.

"Oh, good morning Alfred!"

"Hey Neeraja! How was your winter break?"

"It was good, thanks for asking. How was yours?"

"Okay I guess."

"He ate a lot," Matthew commented. Alfred glared at him and Neeraja laughed.

"Well, at least you don't starve yourself." Neeraja was very friendly and quite intelligent, so she was rarely disliked by her peers. She got along with most of them, though she did get upset when the ignorant ones called her an Arab and had to constantly remind them she was Indian. She didn't fight it much because she let them think what they wanted to think.

"Good morning Eva!" she said. "Oh, you're sitting by yourself again?"

"Yeah, but I don't mind."

"May I sit next to you then?"

"Well okay!"

Alfred looked at the other people who got on the bus. "Gupta! Hiiii!"

The teen looked at him and nodded. Gupta didn't say much, but he was a friendly person nonetheless. He sat down somewhere near Eva and Neeraja.

"Oh hey, here she comes," Matthew whispered to Alfred.

"Hmm?"

"Navah."

"Oh…"

Navah was a female classmate of theirs who loved to read and was quite pretty. She liked living in America and not back home in the Middle East. Even though she, along with Gupta, faced discrimination from certain people, that didn't break her spirit. Alfred admired that.

"Good morning Navah," Matthew said with a smile.

"Oh, Matthew. Good morning!" she said kindly. "Did you enjoy your vacation?"

"Yes. Have you read any interesting books lately?"

"Actually I have! I'll tell you all about them when we get to school."

"Okay."

Navah was Matthew's reading buddy because both of them enjoyed books and school, which again, was a mindset that was foreign to Alfred. The blonde looked at Navah as she sat down next to Gupta. The bus started to move again.

"Alfred, stop staring. It's not nice."

He blushed and turned back around towards his brother. "Don't say that so loud!"

"I don't understand why you just can't tell her you have a crush on her…"

"That's the point of a crush Matt. They're not supposed to know! Do you want me to tell Katyusha?"

"I-I-I do not have a crush on Katyusha!"

"Yeah you do." He gave a sly smile. "You're blushing like crazy. Ha!"

"A-And even if I did, I'd never try to ask her out. You know how Ivan is with his sisters."

"But she's older than him."

"That doesn't matter! She's still one of his sisters and he cherishes them more than anyone else he knows. You should know this by now Alfred…"

"Aww Mattie, calm down." He patted his brother's shoulder. "I'm only teasing you ~"

"I know…sorry…"

"That's alright!"

There was only one more bus stop before they'd reach the school. This was the stop that got the noisiest since it had the most high school students waiting there. This is also where the rest of Alfred's friends lived.

As the bus pulled up, chatter from the teens could already be heard even through the closed windows. Once the doors opened, the last of the students began to pour into the bus.

"Oh! Matthew! Alfred! G-Good morning!" said Katyusha as she passed by their seats.

"Hey Kat!" Alfred replied with a smile.

"H-H-Hello…" Matthew said timidly. He watched as she took her seat somewhere in the back of the bus.

"Oh…she looks so cute with those earmuffs and that pink coat…"

"Why don't you go talk to her?"

"N-No!"

"Bro, if you don't man up and talk to her, somebody is going to take her." Katyusha was very attractive, the main factor being her extremely developed chest, so many of her male peers gave her a lot of attention.

"Not with Ivan as her brother. He's taller than her, and bigger than most of the guys in our school…" While a good portion of the guys in school had the hots for her, not a single one dared to ask her out or hang around with her because then Ivan would be on their backs 24/7. He knew his sister was attractive because of comments that were made about her. He has been keeping a watchful eye on her due to this.

Natalia walked down the aisle without greeting anyone, though nobody seemed to mind since she was a little scary anyway. She sat down next to her older sister.

"Nat's pretty too," Alfred said. "A lot of foreign chicks are so attractive!"

"Well guys from other countries think American girls are attractive."

Alfred shrugged. Though he loved everything American, girls weren't exactly on the top of his list. Yes he found a lot of them to be pretty, but there was something about foreign girls he liked. It was probably the accent.

Then came Ivan, who seemed ominous to almost the entire student body population. Manuel wasn't afraid of him.

"Oi! _Buenos dias_ Ivan!" he said.

"Ah Manny. Good morning ~" he said. "Isn't this weather wonderful?"

"Well I'm not really used to the cold, but okay!"

Ivan smiled and sat down in a seat near Alfred and Matthew's. "Good morning!" he said to them.

"H-Hi…"

"Hey Ivan! Aren't you going to sit near your sisters?"

"No, they'll be alright. Besides, there isn't anywhere to run on this bus if anything happens ~"

Alfred laughed and Matthew shuddered, concealing it with a nervous chuckle.

"And also, Yao promised he'd sit next to me this semester on the bus, so I am keeping him to that promise!" Ivan seemed happy. He really liked being around Yao.

"Okay then!" Alfred whispered to Matthew, "God help poor Yao…"

Matthew chuckled. As soon as that was said, the subject of their conversation happened to appear.

"No!" shouted Yao as he stepped onto the bus. "Yong Soo, I am not sitting next to you!"

"Aniki you promiiiiised!"

"I did no such thing!" He huffed as he stomped down the aisle. "Oh hey Alfred, Matthew."

"'Sup Yao!"

"Hello!"

He sat down next to Ivan, the latter giving him a warm smile. "Good morning Yao!"

"Hello Ivan."

"Aniki! You're not fair!" Yong Soo really wanted to sit next to Yao. They were cousins, but he saw Yao as more of a brother. He huffed and sat behind him.

"Having a bad morning Yong Soo?" asked Alfred.

"Yeah…aniki promised… He lied…" He rubbed his gloved hands together for warmth and then crossed his arms.

"Oh good morning Alfred!"

"Morning Mei!"

Mei was Yao's youngest sibling and his only sister. She had feelings for Alfred, but decided not to say anything once she had heard that he was starting to take an interest in Navah. Nevertheless, she still remained to be friends with him. Following Mei was Li, her brother and the middle child between the three siblings. He wasn't very vocal, but when he did speak, he spoke wisely...sometimes. Other times he could be very sarcastic, depending on who he was talking to. Li sat with Yong Soo and Mei behind them.

"Hey Alfred!"

"Yo Aksel! What's up?!" They did a bro fist as a greeting. Aksel sat down towards the back with his friends, Niklas and Geir. They didn't talk much either, but were mostly closer to each other than they were to Aksel.

"Good morning everyone!"

"Morning Tino!"

His friend Berwald merely raised a hand as a greeting as the two took their seats in the back.

"Oh, here comes Toris!" Alfred exclaimed. "Toriiiiiiiiiiissss!"

The teen turned and smiled when he saw the blonde. "Oh, good morning Alfred!"

"How are you doing?"

"Fine. And yourself?"

"Pretty good!"

"Morning Alfred!"

"Hey Feliks!"

"Matthew ~ !"

He chuckled. "Hello Feliks."

"Like oh my gawd, I love your beanie. Where did you get it?"

"I got it at Target."

"I should totally go there. Hey Toris, wanna like, come with me to Target after school today?"

"Not…really."

"Why?!"

"Because we're probably going to get a lot of homework today since it's the first day back and I don't wanna fall behind…"

Feliks huffed. "Okay fine. We'll go another day. Gosh." The two sat down away from Ivan, since he could be overbearing to the both of them. Well, Feliks more than Toris. He was more lenient with the Lithuanian. The latter's cousins Eduard and Raivis sat down behind him, also away from Ivan. The four tried not to make him angry, except Feliks who didn't care if he taunted the Russian. Toris always scolded him for doing things like that, Eduard saying, "Do you _want_ to end your life?!" and Raivis just trembling out of fear.

"Ooooh ~ ! Good morning Alfred!"

"Feli! Hey!" He noticed another person behind him. "Ludwig!"

"Hello Alfred."

Feliciano was the cutest Italian boy anyone could ever see. Having the highest grade in Home Economics made him popular with the female student body, even more than he already was. Plus, he was incredibly sweet.

"Can we sit here?" he asked Alfred. He was referring to the two seats across from them.

"Oh sure! Go ahead Feli!"

"Yay! Hey Ludwig, Alfred said we could sit here!"

"Feliciano, we've been sitting in that seat for the past two and a half years."

"Oh…okay then!"

Ludwig sighed and proceeded to accompany his friend.

"Oh God I have to sit next to you again…"

"Well, if you would have gotten here earlier then you would be able to sit with somebody else, maybe Ivan. He always likes a seat buddy."

"I hate you."

Alfred knew who those voices belonged to. They were perhaps his closest friends aside from Yao, Ivan, Feli, and Ludwig.

"We'll if you're ever feeling outcast," Alfred shouted at them since by now the vehicle had gotten very noisy. "You always have a spot next to Alfred! Come on Arthur, Francis!" He patted the two seats behind him.

"Referring to yourself in the third person is very conceited of you," Arthur said as he took the window seat. Francis sat next to him.

"Good morning Alfred and Matthew."

"Hey Francis! At least _somebody_ has the common courtesy to greet others on the first day back."

"Yes I know. Arthur has no manners whatsoever."

"Believe me frog, you are much worse than I am."

Matthew chuckled. Arthur noticed and smiled. "Good morning Matthew."

"Good morning Arthur."

"Oh sure, you greet my brother and not me."

"Don't worry _mon cher._ He gave no thought to address me kindly either when we were at the bus stop."

"It's because the first thing YOU did was wrap your arms around my waist you bloody pervert! You know I hate it when you do that!"

Alfred laughed and turned back around. "Guess I missed school more than I thought."

"What is UP Ambrosia High!"

"For goodness sake's Gilbert. SHUT UP!"

"It's too early in the morning for you to be yelling…"

Ludwig face-palmed. His brother could be very annoying to certain people.

"Come Elizaveta. Let's see if we can still find some seats here."

"Okay Roderich."

"Hey Liz," said Gilbert. "Why don't you sit with me today? You're always sitting with that stuck up music pansy."

"For your information Gilbert, he is not stuck up and he happens to be very cultured. You on the other hand are rowdy and for a lack of better words, an idiot." She turned around and walked to where Roderich was sitting, joining him happily.

Gilbert sat down behind Francis. "Oh yeah, she wants me."

Francis gave a chuckle and Arthur shook his head. "Gilbert," Arthur began. "When are you going to learn that she won't ever be interested in you?"

"Thanks for the pep talk Artie. Yeah, that _really_ makes me more confident."

"Your ego is so inflated that your head is practically ripping off of your neck. I'd rather not encourage it."

"Eww, why do you gotta be so graphic for?"

"Good Lord…" Arthur sighed with dismay as he held his head with one hand.

Alfred noticed a sleepy-looking character walk through the aisle.

"Didn't get enough sleep again Heracles?"

"Yes…"

"Is it Mr. Adnan again?"

"Yeah. That guy sure can curse…and he's pretty loud… Why does he have to be my neighbor?"

"I dunno."

He watched as Heracles walked to the back and Aksel offered him a seat next to him. He sat down and resumed napping, his partner laughing with amusement.

Three more students came in, which seemed to be the last of them. A girl with blonde hair walked to the back and took a vacant seat.

"You know what Antonio? Go to hell!"

Manuel's ears perked up when he heard that name.

"Oh come on Lovi!"

"Don't call me that you bastard! I'm gonna sit next to Sanne from now on! Hmph!" He stormed to the back and sat down next to the Belgian student.

"Oooh, Antonio," began Feliciano. "Why is Lovi angry at you again?"

"Who knows? He's always angry at things I do. Well, he'll get over it soon, whatever it is." He spotted his cousin who was trying to hide his face with a text book.

"Mannnnyyyyy ~ !" Antonio exclaimed lovingly. "I haven't seen you all winter break! What happened?!"

"Can't you take a hint _idiota_?!"

"Come on, don't call me that! Why are you always so mean to me? What happened to that cute little boy I used to know who loved eating _churros_ with me?"

"He's gone and dead, dead forever. Now move before I throw this at you!"

"Manuel!" scolded Alicia. "Stop being so mean to Antonio!"

"Alicia, I'm so glad you're not like your brother. Sometimes it's hard to imagine that you're related."

Manuel mumbled under his breath. "It's hard to imagine that _we're_ related to _you_."

Antonio just looked up at the ceiling and shook his head, saying hi to Eva and Alfred as he passed.

Gilbert noticed him. "Toni!"

"Gilbert!"

"Antonio!"

"Francis!"

Antonio happily took his seat next to Gilbert who gave him a bro fist. "Ready for another semester of lame?"

"Oh it's not that bad."

Francis rested his arm against the back of his seat and looked at his two friends. "Ready for more shenanigans?" he said with a sly smile.

"You bet!" the two said in unison. Then all three of them stared at Arthur with mischievous grins on their faces.

Arthur had been reading a book while everyone else was talking. His sixth sense told him he was being watched. "What are you three looking at?"

They only continued to smile.

"Oh no. No no. I know what this is about, and it's no longer going to work! I am not going to be the victim of your pranks anymore!"

"We'll see about that," they said.

"You know, when the three of you say it in unison, it makes me fear for the well-being of the student population…"

Alfred couldn't wait to see what pranks they were going to pull on Arthur this semester. It was always a blast to see him freak out and get angry since practically everything could trigger his temper.

Another student walked into the bus. She was very pretty and had red bows tied into her hair. "Hmm...where to sit... Everyone is squished in here like sardines..." She saw Francis and he patted his lap as he looked at her. She glared at him, catching Arthur smack Francis on the arm out of disapproval, but then saw Radhi wave to her. "Angelique, over here! You can sit with us!"

"Thanks!"

Vash stepped into the bus, apologizing to the driver for him being so tardy. "-and I had to make sure Lili was ready for her first day back at school. I didn't want her to forget anything and assure myself she knew the defensive maneuvers if anybody tried to pick on her. I also made her lunch and that's why I was a bit late at arriving. "

The bus driver blinked. "Now while that is a heartwarming story, I really need to be on time with dropping you guys off Zwingli."

"Yes, I apologize." Vash took a seat behind the bus driver and kept to himself.

"Okay, is that every-"

"Woah hold on just a dang minute!" Another student stepped into the bus. "G'morning!" he said to the bus driver.

"Morning."

"Hey Arthur," asked Yao. "Isn't that your cousin? The one who moved from Australia?"

"Yeah…" Arthur said with a groan. "That's Logan. He's so annoying... I don't understand why he moved over here…and better yet, why he moved so close to my house…"

"Well you can tell you two are related."

"Alfred, our accents are slightly different."

"No, I meant the eyebrows. He has them as thick as yours."

Arthur glared at him and Alfred laughed in response. Logan turned around and noticed his cousin. "Crickey! Iggy, is that you? Woah! You go to this school too!" He helped himself to the empty seat next to Vash who didn't really care because as long as it wasn't Francis next to him, he didn't mind whoever shared his seat.

"Iggy?" Everyone looked at Arthur, curious at the strange nickname. The English teen wished he would sink through a hole in his seat and never see the light of day again.

The bus driver was almost relieved that he had everyone on board until one more passenger ran to the bus stop and hopped onto the stairs just as the doors folded shut.

"Wake up late again Honda?"

"No…I just…I was making sure I had all of my materials for the day…and I couldn't locate my textbook…"

"Okay. Well take a seat." The bus driver began to drive. He had finally finished picking up all the students he was told to get.

The boy had his arms around his textbooks that were held tightly to his chest. One reason was because he was cold, and another was because he was a very timid person. He began to walk quickly to the back.

"Oh Kiku! Good morning!" Feliciano said warmly. Ludwig smiled and nodded.

"G-Good morning Feliciano-kun, Ludwig-san." Without further hesitation, he proceeded to the back of the bus, the last long seat at the end. He sat by himself in a corner, still hanging on to his textbooks for dear life.

Feliciano made a worried and sad expression. "Ludwig…I wish Kiku was more social with everyone…"

"I know…but you can't force him to do things he doesn't want to do."

"Yeah…but it makes me sad to always see him by himself."

Alfred looked back at Kiku. The small boy was huddled up in a corner, rubbing his gloved hands together and adjusting his earmuffs. _Why is Kiku always by himself...?_ _He never even talks to anyone during the passing period in the hallway at the lockers..._

"Hey, Feli?"

"Mm?"

"Why is Kiku…like that?"

"You mean unsocial?"

"Yeah. He always looks so lonely."

"I really wish I knew. It's true he only speaks with Ludwig and myself…but even then…it's not always extended discussion."

Alfred looked at the floor for a moment, taking notice of the dirt on it and the gum stuck under the seats. Then he looked back at Feliciano. "Does he hate me?"

Feliciano was a bit surprised to be asked that question. "Why would you think that Alfred?"

"Well…I'm pretty sure you remember what happened in middle school. I mean…how can any of us ever forget? The fight in middle school between our clubs? Y'know during the last quarter of eighth grade where the eight of us ended up being sent to the hospital? I beat up Kiku pretty bad...but...he just wouldn't stop..."

"Oh…"

Alfred had known most of his classmates since elementary, but didn't really speak to many of them constantly until middle school. It was unfortunate such a conflict happened between them, but he was glad everything was behind them and the real perpetrators pulling the strings got what they deserved. Since then, the group of friends hung out a lot more and though they had their arguments, it never escalated to physical violence.

The only one who excluded himself from friendly bonding was Kiku. He never came over even when Alfred had invited him to come hang out with them. The blonde just decided to give up and thought to himself, "Well if he's gonna be stubborn about it, then I don't give a damn anymore."

"...and Kiku is picked on a lot because he's small and quiet...and labeled as a nerd. I don't want him to think I think that way too." After the fight he had with Alfred, Kiku didn't seem as strong anymore, but more vulnerable, making the American feel pretty bad about himself. A common assumption was Alfred had the willpower to get back on his feet and still remain strong while Kiku couldn't. It was a probable reason why he didn't talk to him.

"He doesn't hate you Alfred," Ludwig said, breaking his train of thought. "He just…well I suppose he's just a bit intimidated by you."

"I wouldn't blame him. Man…I feel like a total jerk…"

"Well you should," Arthur said. "What you did to him wasn't exactly clean."

"I know…but every time I try to apologize, he just glares at me and mumbles in Japanese, probably cussing…"

"Oh, but Kiku said the Japanese language doesn't have bad words," Feliciano said.

"That's impossible. Every language has bad words! That's the first thing a non-speaker of a language should know!"

"The bad words?"

"Yeah!"

"Oh, well I thought it was how to say 'please', 'thank you', 'hello', 'goodbye' and 'can you show me where the bathroom is?' I mean…at least that's what I've been told…"

"Ah…well yeah, those too I guess."

"Maybe," Matthew began to say. "You should try talking to Kiku more this semester Alfred."

"I dunno." He leaned over on the seat in front of him, resting his folded arms on top. "Hey Manny."

"_Que?_"

"You talk to Kiku right?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Does he ever talk about me?"

"No. Except when I mention your name, he cringes a bit and then gets all quiet, ending the conversation."

"Oh…I…I see…"

"You haven't had any real interaction with him since that awful day, huh?"

"No…I haven't…"

"Well maybe Matthew is right. You should try to talk to Kiku once in a while. He's actually pretty nice. And he's cute too!"

"Yes he is!" exclaimed Feliciano. "I even thought he was a girl the first time I met him!"

Manuel stared at him. "He's not _that_ cute that I would mistake him for a girl Feli…"

"Oh…"

"You know Manuel," Arthur said with a sincere smile. "You may hate Antonio, but you act like him sometimes. I see you dote on cute things on occasion, just like he does. Your sister Eva for example and just now when you were talking about Kiku."

"You see Manny!" Antonio said joyfully. "You're like me in more ways than one!"

The Mexican boy pointed at Arthur. "I'm not talking to you for the rest of the day now!" Manuel crossed his arms and slumped in his seat, pouting. Alicia laughed.

"What the bloody hell just happened?" Arthur asked to nobody in particular.

"You offended him," Francis replied.

"_How_?"

"By saying he was similar to Antonio."

Arthur face-palmed and Francis patted his shoulder. "It's alright _mon cherie._"

"I'm not crying idiot."

"I know."

"You just like touching me, don't you?"

"Mm hm hm."

"I hate you."

Alfred had an idea. "Hey you guys!" He stood up. "Do you want to sing our school song?"

"Can you be any more stupid?" asked Arthur.

"Why do you want to sing it now?" Gilbert asked him raising an eyebrow.

"Well it's the beginning of another year."

"But not the school year."

"I know, but the year in general. I think we should start it off with singing our school song! Come on. Pleeeeease?"

"Well, I _am_ in a singing mood." Gilbert stood up. "Alright, let's consent to Alfred's request and sing!"

"I agree with Gilbo," Aksel said. "That way we can get all pumped up and not be so damn cold in this bus!"

"Sounds like a good idea," Angelique said. "Why not?"

"Alright!" Alfred punched the air. "Okay, everyone ready?"

His classmates nodded, and then they all began.

"_Draw a circle there's the Earth  
Draw a circle there's the Earth  
Draw a circle there's the Earth  
We are Ambrosia ~ !_

_Draw a circle there's the Earth  
Looking closely there's the Earth  
Or maybe it's Earth?  
We are Ambrosia ~ !_

_Ah, with just a stroke of paint,  
A wonderful world can be seen  
Let's have a toast with our cups!  
Ambrosia ~ !_"

The students began to get more and more into singing the song, the bus driver moving his head to the beat of their voices, humming the song as he paid attention to the road. Alfred sang along with his classmates, but noticed Kiku was the only one who wasn't joining in. The blonde frowned. _Looks like this is gonna be harder than I thought…_

He wasn't going to give up though. Heroes never give up. He was going to help Kiku get out of that shell he was so tightly enclosed in. He owed it to Kiku, but in a way he was also doing it for himself. He didn't want Kiku to spend his high school years lonely. High school was supposed to be the best years of a person's life.

_I'm gonna make sure he has the time of his life from this point on!_

* * *

A/N: My God, I took out characters and blocks of text I didn't think were necessary at this point. I hope it's better than before. Their school song is "Maru Kaite Chikyuu" though I altered it a bit so it would make more sense in this scenario. There really is no particular reason why I named the school Ambrosia. I just wanted it to sound fancy ha ha. This is also the first fanfiction I have really taken a lot of time on and the one with the most characters included. For future reference, if this story sounds like a stereotypical high school setting, that's because it is. I'm using the stereotypes of high school as the foundation about a fanfic for a series that is full of stereotypes. It's been a few years since I wrote this first chapter, so I wanted to make a note that I have in fact passed high school and mine was never like what this story is going to portray, both from personal experience and observation. High school is actually pretty boring in real life. Nothing like what TV shows, cartoons, or Hollywood makes it out to be.

Oh! One more thing: the club idea was inspired by Kari Kurofai in a fanfiction she wrote called _Two For Joy_. It's a really cute one-shot of Ameripan, so check that out sometime.


	2. Refrain

A/N: Wow! Five reviews already! Thank you guys so much! I was afraid this story wasn't going to get a lot of readers since America/Japan isn't that much of a popular Hetalia ship. But I'm glad you guys like it so far!

In this chapter, the antagonist of the story comes in and he may be a little offensive. No racial slurs are used yet but...well his comments aren't exactly civil. And if you're a little lost, don't worry. More and more information will be revealed as the story goes on. Just be patient and you'll understand. :D

* * *

Chapter 2: Refrain

The bus finally began to pull up in the front of the school. The driver stopped the vehicle on the left side of the parking lot as he saw another yellow bus pull up on the right side.

"Okay everyone," he said as he turned off the motor. "Time for learning!"

Matthew beamed. "Our first day back!" he said happily. "Oh I can't wait!"

Nobody was in a hurry to get out of the bus (except Matthew) but either way, they all poured out in single file. Alfred, being the attention whore that he was, had to be first out of the bus, accidentally pushing Vash and almost knocking him over.

"Alright guys!" Alfred said as he turned around. "It's another year, so that means another semester of torture. But we can do this!"

Gilbert laughed. "You always get so pumped up at the beginning of every semester."

Alfred chuckled and said, "I guess. Maybe school can be fun at times, if you know how to enjoy yourself!"

"Yes but you enjoy yourself too much sometimes," Arthur replied. "I'm not going to let you copy my math homework anymore."

"Why not?"

"Because you're supposed to do it yourself!"

"Yet you lend it to me anyway. Weird huh?"

Arthur huffed and mumbled something under his breath. "It's because you make those stupid puppy eyes at me and they're hard to resist…" A faint blush appeared on his cheeks.

"Huh? Did you say something?"

"I just said that I lend them to you because otherwise, you'll keep on bugging me about it for the rest of the day…"

"Oh."

Alfred and his group of friends heard some footsteps behind him. "Well well, if it isn't Mr. World Peace and his band of illegals."

The blonde sighed and turned around, a discontent look on his face. "You're gonna start again? We barely got here and already you're being a complete dick."

"Don't call them illegals," Matthew said standing next to his brother.

"I never understood the two of you," said the boy. "The both of you are some of the few Americans in this school yet you hardly have any American friends. You guys just hang around with immigrants."

"Stop it," Alfred said, sounding defensive. "That's enough Damian."

The teen scoffed at him and began to walk to the front steps along with the group that came on his bus. Alfred waited until they were inside the school and then he began to walk in that same direction, Matthew and the others following him.

"You know," said Aksel. "You don't always have to defend us Alfred."

"We're pretty capable of kicking that guy's ass," Gilbert added.

"Doesn't matter. Matthew and I are the only ones without an accent. As long as you have an accent-"

"I understand what you're trying to say Alfred," Ludwig told him. "But really, we're fine on our own."

"Yeah I know. I just get tired of him always making remarks like that about you guys. They're not funny."

"Why does he pick on you anyway?" Feliciano asked. "You were born here in America, just like him. So…I'm a bit lost…"

"He's just butthurt Feli."

"Butthurt?"

"Yeah, he takes everything to the ass. It's fine if he makes fun of other people, but once you start capping on _him_, he goes ballistic."

"That doesn't seem fair…"

"It's not."

"Is he mean to you because you quit the football team?" asked Lovino. "I'm just asking 'cause I remember he was being a big drama queen about it the beginning of tenth grade."

"Yeah, I guess that's why." Alfred shrugged. "I really don't care. I mean, I love football, but I'm not gonna be on his team if he's gonna be an asshole toward my friends."

Alfred had always loved sports, whether it was football, basketball, baseball, soccer, even swimming. He enjoyed all of them, and during the winter, he'd play hockey with Matthew, who surprisingly got violent with this sport. In middle school, Alfred had joined the football team, but it wasn't exactly what he was expecting. Flag football wasn't as fun. The object of the game was to take the flag off the belt from whoever had the ball on the opposing team, before they reached their goal line. There wasn't any tackling or display of strength, which made the American feel a bit disappointed.

So when he got to high school in ninth grade, he tried out for the _actual_ football team and got in. That was when he met Damian. They didn't attend the same middle school, so they didn't know anything about each other, but became friends as they went to practices and games. Alfred enjoyed being a jock and the benefits that came with it (such as being a chick magnet) but then he began to see that it wasn't all it was cracked up to be. For one, he noticed a few of the football players tended to have the typical high school bully demeanor and ego, something he didn't like, even though he himself could be conceited at times. He didn't mind it until they began to pick on his friends.

_Flashback_

"Damian."

The boy turned around from his seat on the bleachers during lunch with his friends and some of the cheerleaders. "Yep?" He was blonde like Alfred and had blue eyes like him too, except his hair was cut a bit shorter and was spiky.

"What did you do to Feli?"

"Feli? Who the hell is that?"

"Feliciano Vargas."

"Oh, that gay pathetic Italian?"

"He's not gay. He just happens to be in touch with his feminine side, which by the way, gets him more girls than you'll ever get in your lifetime."

Damian scowled. "Just get to the point Jones."

"Stop picking on him. He's very sensitive. Antonio found him crying yesterday and I practically had to beg Ludwig and Francis to not kick your ass."

"He was just being annoying is all. That 've' thing he does and how he continually talks about pasta was getting on my nerves."

"But he wasn't bothering you."

"It was annoying."

"Did you pick on him because he was annoying, or did you pick on him because he's Italian?"

Damian's eyes narrowed. "What are you saying Jones?"

"I've been noticing something lately, and I don't like it."

"What would that be?"

"You bully other students."

He laughed and so did his friends. "It's not like we beat them up! We'd never go that far."

"But why do you have to do that? And it's not just any kind of student. It's the ones who weren't born here in America."

Damian sighed. "Jones, you're beating around the bush. Just say what you want to say."

"I want you to stop picking on them."

"The illegals?"

"They're not illegals!"

"Why are you getting so touchy about this all of a sudden?"

"Because I've realized that I've been stupid and blind about it this whole time. I guess I just tried to ignore it, hoping it'd go away, but now I have to say something since obviously that isn't working."

"Alfred, why does it matter if we pick on them? They're gonna get picked on anyway."

"Because they have accents?"

"Well…yeah! I mean, don't they sound funny to you?"

"No, not to me, but maybe it's because I've been around most of them since elementary so I've heard their accents various times that to me, it's as if they didn't have one at all."

"But I see you make fun of the Brit's accent."

"Arthur is my friend and I only do that because I know him. He gets angry about it, but he knows I'm playing. He doesn't know you that well, so that's why he gets pissed when you do that to him. So cut it out."

"Oh but his accent is just so humourous, is it not old chaps?" he said to his friends, imitating Arthur's accent. They laughed and said, "Why yes it is old boy."

Alfred's eyebrows furrowed. "He doesn't talk like that."

"Jones," Damian said chuckling and shaking his head. "Don't tell me you've gotten soft. Football players can't be soft."

Alfred looked at him and was silent for a moment. "You know what? You're right."

"Good. Glad we understand each other! Now about today's practice-"

"Football players can't be soft."

"Yeah they can't."

"Then I guess I quit."

"What?! You can't quit!"

"Yeah I can." He took off his football jacket and tossed it at him. "There. See? I quit!" He smiled, mocking him.

"Al, you're one of our best players! Don't you love football?"

"Yeah I do, but I don't want it to turn me into a jackass. I'll sign up for some other sport."

"Like what?"

"Baseball has always been my second favorite sport. It's America's past time after all."

"Baseball? You're going to join _baseball?_"

"Why not?"

"Al, you're wasting your potential!"

"I'd rather do that than lose my friends. You may see them as immigrants, but I see them as Americans. Their families pay taxes like those who were born in America and they live like Americans. The only difference is their native language and religion. I don't understand why so many people want world peace, yet they act like you do toward those who aren't American-born."

"So you're Mr. Universe now or what?"

"No. I'm just saying. This school was founded so that way we can understand each other's cultures and customs and hopefully be less ignorant about it."

Damian raised an eyebrow to him. "You know, you were cool when I first met you, and now…I don't know who you are anymore."

"When I first met you, I thought you were cool too. But now I know that you're just an asshole who probably doesn't get enough attention at home so he needs to get it at school by acting tough and hide the fact that he loves ponies with hearts tattooed on their butts."

Elsewhere, Feliks got a strange feeling inside of him. "I feel like…somebody is insulting pretty ponies…" He ignored it and continued to eat his lunch.

"What did you say?" Damian said, his friends snickering behind him. The thought of him having a secret stash of ponies was amusing.

"Hey, I'm not judging man," Alfred said, raising his hands in defense. "What you do after school is your business. I won't tell anyone I saw you at the book store buying a calendar with horses on them."

Damian's friends burst out laughing, the former getting extremely upset. "That's it Jones! You're dead meat!"

Alfred laughed and began to walk away. "You getting angry about it only proves me right ~ !" he chimed.

"Just you wait Mr. World Peace! You're going to suffer the same fate as your immigrant friends!"

"Oooh, I'm so scared. I think I'll go home and cuddle my pony plushie while I talk to my calendar about my daily woes." The blonde laughed and ran back to the cafeteria to join his friends again.

"JONES!"

_End of Flashback_

"So that's how the story went," Manuel said. "I never knew that."

"Yeah I refrained from telling anybody, but now seemed like a good time to let you guys know. Oh, no offense Feliks. Horses are cool. My cousin has some on his father's ranch in Texas."

The Polish student waved his hand. "It's like totally alright Freddy. I understand. But really, that would be _so_ hilarious if Damian liked ponies!"

"It would wouldn't it?"

"Totally!"

The group laughed and began to walk to the front of the school.

"Hey, Alfred?"

"What's up Artie?"

"Thank you for…defending me from those idiots."

"No prob. I'm the only one who can pick on you."

"And me."

"Oh, and Francis. I'm not gonna let those morons take that away from us. Besides, we're only playing. They actually mean it."

"I know…that's why I'm thanking you for defending me."

"Like I said, it's no big deal!"

"Uwaaah, but Alfred," Feliciano began. "Don't you mind that now you're grouped like the rest of us?"

"Grouped?"

"He means you're now a bully target," Yao clarified. "By defending us, you have alleged yourself with us too, meaning you're just as 'bad' as we are, at least in Damian's eyes."

"Meh, I really don't care." He put his hands behind his head. "I don't care if he picks on me, because I can still kick his butt anytime, anywhere. I might have to save Matt's behind though."

"Hey!" said the younger twin. "I'm not that defenseless! I can fight too!"

"The only time you get violent is during hockey. Man, you get really scary when we play…but, that makes it more challenging!"

"I just don't like fighting okay? That doesn't solve anything! You don't mind it 'cause you like to show off and be a hero…"

"A hero isn't afraid to fight if it's for a just cause! And this is a just cause Matt!"

"Whatever you say…"

"You know Alfred," Elizaveta said to him. "Sometimes I feel like you're a biased character of some fanfiction by an author who loves your personality and makes you the star and all around good guy of the plot."

"Really? Woah. Where'd you get that idea from Liz?"

"I've read my fair share of fanfics so I know a thing or two about habits of certain authors."

"Well okay. But that _would_ be awesome if I was the author's favorite and they made me look good, at least more than I already am! Ha ha!"

"They could also try to tone down that arrogant attitude of yours too," Ivan said with a smile. "I think that would be a nice change of character so not everyone thinks you're annoying."

Alfred turned to his friends. "You guys don't think I'm annoying right?" He became panicked all of a sudden. It didn't help that the friends hesitated.

"Well…" Yong Soo began. "You can be obnoxious sometimes."

"Ha! Look who's talking!"

"Aniki! Don't interrupt me!" Yong Soo turned back to Alfred. "Like I was saying, you can be obnoxious sometimes and too pushy."

"Yeah, and you always want to be in charge whenever we have to do group activities," added Lovino.

Antonio nodded. "Not only that, but you're pretty hyper too."

"Basically, you can be overwhelming to all of us," Arthur finished.

Feliciano noticed Alfred's troubled and shocked expression. The Italian smiled and said, "But don't worry Alfred. You're a good guy!"

"And," Katyusha began. "We thank you and your brother for…not being mean to us because some of us can't speak in perfect English."

"She's right," Heracles added. "Alfred, you and Matthew are what I would call, the 'good Americans'."

"You mean there's another kind?"

"The bad ones," Francis clarified. "The ones like Damian."

"The ones who think their nationality is superior to the rest around the world," Ivan said.

"And the ones who don't respect the cultures of others," Manuel concluded.

"Oh…I see." Alfred crossed his arms. "Well, that's just like every nationality…right? There's good people, and there's bad people. At least, that's what my mom always told me."

"And she's right!" Neeraja said. "You can't assume all people are the same just because a group of a certain nationality did something horrible. There is always going to be good and bad people in the world, no matter what country you're from."

"So," Feliciano finished. "We're…we're thankful that you and Matthew are the good kind in this country. You've been nice to us. I mean, you get so fascinated by some of our cultures, especially concerning the food!" He laughed.

Matthew chuckled. "Oh, it's nothing really. We're just glad you don't think all Americans are bad."

Alfred beamed at his friends. _And this is why I gave up being on the football team_, he told himself.

He noticed that Kiku rushed into the doors as soon as they finished climbing the steps to enter the main building. Alfred was still curious, so he asked Yao, "Hey Yao?"

"Yes?"

"Does Kiku hate me?"

"Aiya… Alfred, not that again…"

"Well he's the only one out of every single person on our bus who doesn't speak to me!"

"It's not that he hates you," Yao said with a sigh. "He's just not comfortable around you. I don't think he's gotten over the incident."

"But Ludwig and Feli have!"

"Yes, but he's not us," Ludwig said. "Kiku is…a bit more stubborn than we are."

"Believe me Alfred, we've tried to talk to him!" said Feliciano. "But…but for some reason…he doesn't want to listen… Oh…and it would be a lot more fun if he came with us to places like Disneyland. I like going there because we get cute hats with mouse ears on them!"

"Give him some time," Li said. It was strange to hear him talk since he wasn't very vocal. "He'll come around soon."

"How do you know?"

"I get gut feelings from time to time."

"Ah."

On the intercom a voice said, "Welcome back Ambrosia High! I hope you all enjoyed your Christmas break, but now it's time to put on those thinking caps and get to class! Please report to your homeroom for further instructions. Thank you and have a great day!"

"Well," Matthew said. "Looks like school is finally beginning!"

"Yeah, aren't you a happy camper…"

* * *

Sometimes Alfred felt like it wasn't merely coincidence that all the people who happened to ride on his bus were in the same grade as him, and that it wasn't merely coincidence that they all happened to have the same homeroom teacher either.

Matthew took his seat in the front of the class next to Alfred. Homeroom was the only time Alfred didn't mind being seated in the front, the reason being he didn't have any work to do. Homeroom was just an informative period and a chance to gossip.

"M-Matthew…"

The younger twin looked to his right. "Oh, good morning Victoria!"

"Good morning."

Victoria was Arthur's cousin who moved from Canada. She didn't have his accent, though sometimes she'd say certain words differently. She had long blonde hair in a braid and blue eyes. One could also tell she was related to Arthur because of her slightly thick eyebrows, thick for a girl at least. She sat down next to Matthew. "So, how was your winter break?"

"Oh it was okay. I got to play some more hockey."

"Really?"

"Yeah! I was going to ask you if you wanted to come, but Arthur said you would all be going to the mountains for Christmas…so…"

"Oh, yeah, we did go."

"How was it?"

"It was okay I guess."

"Ah! Did you know your cousin is coming to this school now?"

"Which one?" Victoria, or actually, Arthur, had a huge family. Arthur was the second youngest. His eldest sibling was the only daughter, Bridget, and then came his three older brothers Angus, Gavan, and Conor. Then it was Arthur himself, and finally his youngest sibling, Peter. His four older siblings were already at college. He was the next to go, though it would be a few more years until Peter left home. Arthur didn't like it when his brothers and sister were home though because they usually picked on him when they would come to visit, yet bring Peter gifts. He felt like this was completely unfair.

"Your cousin from Australia."

"Oh! You mean Logan!"

"Yeah! What grade is he in?"

"Logan is in the same grade as us."

"But isn't it a bit strange that he moved when half of the school year is over already?"

"He moved during the winter break, so his parents enrolled him in this school because it has a good academic reputation."

"Oh, I see."

"Arthur doesn't like him though…"

"Yeah, we all kind of figured that. Logan was on our bus this morning and Arthur tried to hide from him."

Victoria laughed. "Well Arthur thinks he's annoying, but he really just wants to get to know him. We don't see Logan much, but since he and his family moved to America permanently, we'll have more family bonding!"

Matthew smiled at her. "You know, you have a cute laugh Victoria."

"What? Really…?"

"Yes!"

The girl blushed. "Oh…well…th-thank you…" She turned around when Alfred began to talk with Matthew. She had a crush on the younger twin, but was always too shy to ever tell him how she felt. She was a bit resentful toward Katyusha because she was the apple of Matthew's eye and she knew every guy wanted her. _Just because her boobs are the size of watermelons! There's more to a person than just their outward appearance!_ She took out a book to calm herself down.

"Alright class," said their teacher as she walked in. "Let's quiet down now." She went to the white board and wrote her name, the day's date below it.

"Well!" she said as she faced the class. "How were all of your vacations?"

"They were fine Mrs. Rosales."

"Oh come on, I want to hear how they all went individually!" She looked around the classroom. "Ah! Mei, why don't you start?"

"Huh? Oh, well okay." She thought for a moment. "Well, I got some cute new clothes over the break and a new camera!"

"That's nice! Ivan, how was your vacation?"

"Oh, we went to Russia to go visit my _babushka._"

"Really? And how was it?"

"It was nice being back in my home country, but Katyusha was missing the United States…"

"I'm sorry Ivan, but…I just got so used to living over here!" said the big-chested girl. "I love being here!"

"You should also love your home country," Natalia replied.

"Oh, I'm not saying I don't! I just…I suppose I just grew tired of the cold weather back in Russia…"

"It's okay Katyusha," said Ivan warmly. "Nobody is getting angry at you."

"A-Are you sure you're not mad because mama and papa had to return back to America because of me?"

"No, I'm not mad at all. Besides, Yao is over here, not over there." He smiled a bit.

"Ivan," said Yao. "You can't be rooted here all the time just because I'm not traveling with you."

"Oh, but I'll miss you!"

Yao blushed a little. "That's why you have my number! There are these things called _phones_ you know!"

Mrs. Rosales looked for somebody else to call. "Ah, Heracles! How was your winter break?"

"Well, I slept a lot. Played with my cats…yeah, that was pretty much it."

"And are you refreshed?"

"Not really. My neighbor Mr. Adnan kept coming over to my house to complain that my cats were in his yard. And he always tells my mom 'your son's cats' never 'your cats'. He never blames my mom. He always blames me. I think he's out to get me."

Kiku, who had been sitting at the back of the classroom, laughed a bit. Mrs. Rosales looked at him. "Oh Kiku! Did you want to comment?"

"H-Huh? Oh…no…I just…I found it funny that Heracles-san thinks Adnan-san is out to get him. I don't think that's very probable since…well," He looked at Heracles. "You don't seem like a bad child, Heracles-san."

The Grecian smiled at him. "Thanks Kiku. If only Mr. Adnan thought like you."

Kiku blushed a bit staring at his desk. "Oh…uhm…w-well, I'm sure that he'll realize it's not your fault that your cats keep going into his yard…"

"Kiku, why don't you tell us how your winter break was!" Mrs. Rosales said.

"Uhm, well, nothing exciting. I mostly stood indoors just drawing or…or playing video games…Rosales-sensei…"

Alfred took this opportunity to speak to him. "Video games? What kind? I have a lot. Maybe you've played some of the ones I have!"

Kiku looked at him, and Alfred could sense the tiniest bit of hostility in his stare. "I have many kinds Jones-san but probably none you have ever heard of before since some of them I bought from Japan."

Yet another failed attempt to make amends with the little Japanese student. This really was posing as a challenge to Alfred.

"Well," Mrs. Rosales said, noticing the slight uncomfortable atmosphere. "Why don't we introduce a new student?"

"A new student?" Arthur asked. "But it's the second semester."

"Yes, but he completed the same courses back in his home country during the first semester. And he tells me he knows you! Come on in!"

Logan happened to walk into the classroom. "G'morning!"

"Good morning!" Mrs. Rosales said. "Why don't you introduce yourself to the class!"

The Australian student turned to his fellow peers. "Hello all! The name's Logan! I'm from Australia, and I also happen to be Arthur's cousin! Iggy! Why do you keep avoiding me?"

Mrs. Rosales shook her head. "Oh come now Arthur. I expected better of you, especially to family."

"Mrs. Rosales, you have no idea how irritating this young man is."

"You can at least show him around!"

Arthur sighed. "Very well. Logan…I guess…I'm gonna have to take you on a tour of the school during…lunch…"

"Sounds good!"

"Well!" Mrs. Rosales said as she took some cards from her desk. "Here are your classrooms. They're in the same location, though here's the schedule just in case some of you forgot. Arthur, your schedule this semester is the same as Logan's so now you'll be able to show him around more efficiently!"

If this were a cartoon, Arthur's jaw would have dropped to his desk. "Wh-? M-Mrs. Rosales, why?"

"I didn't make the schedule. The office did. Don't blame me!"

Alfred turned around and patted him on the head. "Have fun Iggy! I'm sure your cousin will love it here!" He looked at Logan. "Why don't you sit next to Arthur? There's been an empty seat next to him in this class for a while now. It's like it was meant for you!"

"Woah! Thanks mate!"

"No problem!" He gave him a thumbs up. Alfred felt Arthur burning holes into his back with his glare.

Through clenched teeth, he told the American, "I hate you so much right now…"

The first bell rang, indicating it was time for the students to go to first period.

"Okay class," said Mrs. Rosales. "I'll see you here after seventh period to collect your class schedule. Don't forget to get them stamped or signed by your teachers!"

* * *

Alfred looked at his class schedule, and then at Matthew's.

"Alfred," said his brother. "You know my schedule already and I don't have all the same classes you do."

"This sucks."

"You can't always copy my homework! Or Arthur's!"

"I know!"

"Then why do you still do it?"

Alfred shrugged. "I don't like homework."

"Yeah I know…" Matthew sighed. "Well, I'll see you later."

"Alright. Bye bro!"

The blonde walked through the hallway to his first period, some of his classmates waving to him and saying good morning. Though he wasn't in the football team anymore, he still remained to be one of the more popular students in the school, probably because he was outgoing.

First period was his Government class. He hoped that next year he'd be able to get Mrs. Rosales for AP World History. She only taught tenth and twelfth grade history. Alfred was in eleventh grade.

He took his seat somewhere in the back. He didn't like sitting in the front.

This was how the rest of his day went. Go to class, sit in the back, get his schedule card signed or stamped, and get the homework assignments from those teachers who liked to torture their students on their first day back, at least this is what Alfred thought.

His math period was just before lunch, so this was the class he usually didn't pay much attention in. He was great at mathematics, but he hated his teacher.

"Jones, where do you think you're going?" said the teacher.

"To my seat?"

"No, you're going to sit in the front this semester."

"What? Why?!"

"Because you always fall asleep in the back!"

"How come Matthew gets to sit back there?!"

"Because he still does his work."

Alfred groaned and walked over to the front row, sitting down.

"Same goes for you two, Kirkland and Braginski."

"Sir," began Arthur. "I always do my work and-"

"Yes but you're sarcastic and cynical and you hide Playboy magazines with your trigonometry book when you sit in the back! You're sitting here too!"

"I don't understand why I need to be seated in the front Mr. Jenkins," Ivan said.

"You fall asleep too in my class Braginski. Now sit."

The Russian walked over to the front row along with Arthur. Alfred was in between them both. The three of them were right in the middle of the rows of chairs. Matthew shook his head in the back. "Why couldn't Alfred have just behaved last semester…?"

"Now," said Mr. Jenkins. "Let's review from last semester." He began writing some properties on the board.

"Oh God…we already know this…" groaned Alfred.

"What was that Jones?"

"Nothing sir…"

He put his head down.

"You can at least take notes," Ivan said. "That way you won't get in trouble."

"But I already know how to do this…"

"It doesn't hurt to review Alfred."

"Fine…"

Alfred got his notebook and began writing down the things that Mr. Jenkins wrote on the board. Now he would _really_ have to pay attention this semester since Matthew no longer sat next to him.

He looked around the classroom to see who was in it. He knew Matthew, Arthur, and Ivan were in his class. Elizaveta was too and so was Neeraja. Alicia was sitting on the side row and Logan next to her. Niklas and Geir were seated at the desks near the door and Lovino was seated in the middle of the rows. Then there were some other students that didn't ride his bus, and then he saw Kiku. _Oh yeah…I forgot…he's in my math period…_

Kiku was concentrated on writing down the notes that Mr. Jenkins was writing on the white board. He noticed Alfred staring at him and said, "Jones-san, please focus your attention to the front of the class. Don't let your eyes wander." He said it loud enough that Mr. Jenkins heard.

"Jones!"

Alfred was starting to not want to become Kiku's friend anymore. "Yes?"

"Please focus!"

"I passed your class last semester with an A! Why are you so worried?"

"You lack discipline!"

"Are you serious…"

"And your attitude toward authority isn't very positive!"

"Okay, I'm sorry…"

Mr. Jenkins turned back around and continued to write on the board. This time Alfred didn't look around the classroom anymore, but actually did his work. He was trying to get his mind off of what Kiku had just done.

Ivan and Arthur noticed his upset aura throughout the entire class period, but they just kept this observation to themselves.

* * *

At last it was lunch, meaning half of the day was over. Most of the students went to the cafeteria during this time.

"I'm not going to do it anymore," Alfred said as he slammed down his lunch tray at the table.

"Do what?" Francis asked.

"Be nice to Kiku."

"Oh but why not?!" Feliciano shrieked. Alfred's usual friends sat at the table with him, along with Lovino, Manuel, Gilbert, Antonio, and Aksel. Arthur wasn't currently present since he was showing Logan around the school.

"Because he's being a jerk!"

"What did he do?" asked Manuel.

"Well today in trig, I was seated in the front of the class 'cause Mr. Jenkins hates me, and then I was looking around to see if anybody else had changed seats. Kiku caught me staring at him and _on purpose_ he said aloud, 'Jones-san, please focus your attention to the front of the class. Don't let your eyes wander.' Then Jenkins got all mad again and starting yelling at me…"

"Well first of all, you really shouldn't do that," Ludwig said. "You're supposed to be paying attention."

"I was!"

"He tells the truth," Ivan said. "Afterward, he began to write down his notes and was quiet for the rest of the day."

"Probably because you were trying to figure out a way to get Kiku back, huh Al?" Gilbert asked.

"…No…"

"Yeah you were. I can tell just by looking at your face."

"But what is that guy's problem? I mean really!" He bit into his burger angrily.

"Like Li said," Yao told him. "Just give Kiku some time Alfred."

"I've given him A LOT of time and he still acts like I'm his mortal enemy or something…"

"Oh, please don't be angry with Kiku," Feliciano whined. "He just…he just has a hard time opening up to people and trusting them."

"Feli's right," Manuel responded. "Kiku's probably just shy."

"Well, it's more like he doesn't have a lot of self-esteem," Yao corrected.

"Yao, you're his brother right?" Alfred asked. "Are you sure he doesn't hate me?"

"Alfred, I'm not exactly his brother."

"You're not?"

"Have you forgotten already? Aiya…pay more attention when people tell you things! Anyway, no, I'm not his brother."

"But he lives with you."

"Yes but he's been adopted into our family. He's the son of one of my mom's relatives who lives in Japan. But he's staying here permanently since his actual mother passed away last year. She had a sickness that never healed."

"What about his dad?"

"His dad was involved in an accident back in Japan too. He was one of those innocent people who just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time…"

"Oh…but, wait, didn't he come here when he was like…seven?"

"Yes."

"Then…I'm a bit confused about his parent's death…"

Yao sighed. "You really _don't_ pay attention. Well, it goes like this: at first his mom only came to visit my mother, and she brought Kiku along with her. His mother enjoyed being here, so she got her citizenship and Kiku's, and enrolled him in the American educational system. But then she found out her husband was in an accident so she had to-"

"Wait, why didn't his dad come too?"

"Don't interrupt!" Yao was getting frustrated. "His father didn't come because he had work to do, and at first the mother only planned the trip to the United States as a visit in the first place, but eventually decided to settle here. Now back to where I was…oh yes. Anyway, Kiku's mother had to go back to Japan to see her husband, but he didn't make it and died at the hospital over there. She stood at a friend's house since she couldn't go back to America due to-"

"Wait, why didn't she take Kiku with her?"

"Because he was still in school and she didn't want to disrupt his learning and STOP INTERRUPTING ME ALFRED!" Ivan patted Yao as a sign to calm down. The Chinese student took a deep breath and continued. "So she couldn't return to America due to depression. She was really attached to her husband and when he died, it's like her entire world just collapsed."

"Her sickness was…depression…?"

"Well my mother called it a sickness since she had to take pills for it, but she eventually died because she couldn't handle being so sad. It killed her in the end."

"But what about Kiku?"

"His mother had said that if anything were to happen to both her and Kiku's father, my mother would be the one to take care of him. She held that promise which is why she's Kiku's legal guardian here."

"Doesn't he have family over there?"

"No, his family isn't very large. His grandparents passed away on both sides a long time ago, and coincidentally both his parents were only children so they didn't have siblings."

"This is a depressing story!"

"It's not a story! It's his actual life!" Yao faced-palmed and Feliciano patted his back. "Anyway, I think that might be a factor as to why Kiku is so…distant from other people. He didn't really have his own parents bring him up and he lived in a Chinese household for most of his life, not a Japanese one, in America to add. So…though I'm his cousin, he did certain things different from my family."

"Oh…I see."

"What I really think it is though…is just…he's used to being lonely so he doesn't know how to live any other kind of lifestyle."

"That really IS depressing!" Manuel exclaimed. "No wonder he's always by himself. He's never had people similar to him around!"

"It doesn't help that he's not a favorite in my father's eyes either…"

"Your dad doesn't like him?" Alfred raised an eyebrow.

"It's not that he doesn't like him. It's just…well he doesn't really _know_ him so…"

"I guess what Yao is trying to get at here…" Aksel said. "…is that you need to be the person to help Kiku out."

"_How_? I already told you guys: he doesn't like me!"

"But you don't know that for sure," Antonio said. "Just try it!"

"I don't even know how I'm supposed to start a conversation with him when he keeps glaring daggers at me every time I try to be friendly with him!"

"You'll think of something," Francis assured him.

"Just try Alfred…" Matthew said.

"Why don't you do it Matt?"

"Because I'm not the one who had problems with him in the past."

"Damn… Sometimes I wish you weren't such a know-it-all."

"Eh, you'll be fine." Lovino bit into his apple. "Just talk to the little guy, like a hello or something."

"Well, I guess if you guys are so insistent…I guess I have to be friends now, especially since Yao told me that story, making me feel guilty…"

"I wasn't trying to make you…! Oh never mind…" Yao shook his head and sighed, putting a spoonful of mashed potatoes in his mouth.

Alfred sipped from his juice carton, pouting. His expression changed to a curious look when he noticed that Kiku had gotten his lunch and walked out the door, but not before saying hello to Heracles.

"Hmm…I think I have an idea…"

* * *

A/N: I had trig in my eleventh grade year of high school...and I didn't like it much, though it was easier than Algebra 2, at least for me. I wasn't as lucky as Alfred though since I passed the class with a C for both semesters. orz And yeah I know, Kiku gets a depressing history. How cliche of me. But trust me, it's for the good of this story, and for him. Victoria Kirkland is actually my friend's OC she made, Vancouver. She wanted me to put her in the story, so she'll appear occasionally. And just in case some of you are still lost with the names, I'll tell you who each one is when they're first introduced or given a lot of spotlight in a chapter. So in this one:

Manuel = my OC Mexico  
Alicia = my OC Guatemala  
Neeraja = my OC India  
Victoria = friend's OC Vancouver  
Logan = Australia  
Aksel = Denmark  
Niklas = Norway  
Geir = Iceland  
Katyusha = Ukraine  
Mr. Adnan = Turkey

Yeah, Damian is another OC, but he isn't a Nation-tan or anything like that. He's just a regular one who is a pain in the ass. Oh, and if your real name happens to be "Damian" don't get offended! I just chose his name randomly! I have something else that needs to be said: I have an Alfred bias. Like really. I will avoid turning him into a Gary Stu (which I hope doesn't happen!) and I will try to keep him, and the rest of the Hetalia cast, in character.

Now flag football...is kinda boring to watch. I had this in my middle school. There was the Red team and the Blue team. Each player had a rope tied around them with flags attached and whoever had the ball, the opposing team had to take a flag off of that person before they reached their goal line. Yeah, kinda boring, but hey, this is middle school. And also, I am not saying every guy who plays football is an asshole, because...well they're not. This is just a stereotype of a school clique. And since Hetalia already has stereotypes...well...if you can't beat 'em, join 'em right? Ah ha, I don't even know if that applies here but...oh well.

Also, there's a difference between unsocial and anti-social. Unsocial just means you'd rather keep to yourself and not interact with others maybe because you're really shy, or you're just not comfortable around a lot of people. Anti-social however, means you're antagonistic, hostile, unfriendly toward others, menacing, or threatening, and you constantly violate the norms and rights of other people. Now Kiku isn't the latter at all, is he? Unsocial is the proper term.


	3. It's That Easy

A/N: Well, here's the third chapter. I really have nothing to say, except thank you for your reviews everyone! I know some of you (or all of you for all I know) are annoyed by the huge blocks of text and information dump in the first two chapters. Since most of the reviews were similar, I'm gonna reply to everyone's in general.

I know that the huge information dump and various amount of details has left all of you overwhelmed, but trust me, they're there for a reason. And as for the character overload, don't worry. There's a reason why I included so many, who will appear and disappear at various points of the story. Some of them will be used more often than others and some might even serve a bigger purpose than others. Please be patient. I know this story started off rocky, so I thank all of you for still sticking with it! Really I do!

And also, I thank you for your constructive criticism without flaming me. They help me improve my chapters gradually so that way I know what I need to work on. :D

* * *

Chapter 3: It's That Easy

Alfred got up from his seat, and Aksel being curious, asked, "Hey, where are you going?"

"I'll be back right now."

The blonde walked over to Heracles' table who was sitting with Gupta and Neeraja. "Hey guys!" Alfred said as he sat down next to the Grecian.

"Oh, hello Alfred."

Neeraja smiled and waved, Gupta just nodding. He really needed to talk more.

"So, whatcha guys doing?"

"Uhm, nothing really," Neeraja replied. "We're just eating and talking about random things."

"Oh I see." He turned to Heracles. "So can I ask you a question?"

"Hmm? Oh, yeah, I guess. Go ahead."

"Is Kiku your friend?"

"Mm, yeah, I suppose so. He talks to me a lot and he's always really nice to me."

"Oh, I see."

"Why do you ask?"

"Can you do me a favor pleeeease Heracles?"

"Yeah, I just need to know what it is first."

"Can you ask Kiku if he hates me?"

"Hmm? Why do you want to know that?"

"Because he never talks to me and when he does, it's either because he wants me to be quiet or to leave him alone."

"Well Alfred, nobody likes to be bothered."

"I know, but I'm just trying to make small talk with him and it never works!"

"It could be because he's just shy Alfred," Neeraja said. "He's a very timid person. It's quite obvious actually, so I can see why he doesn't talk to a lot of students."

"But Raj, when he speaks to _me_ there is like, some kind of venom in his voice."

"Has he gotten over the incident in 8th grade?"

"I don't even know because he won't talk to me! Ludwig and Feli have, and we're really good friends now!" Thinking about it made Alfred frustrated so he crossed his arms and pouted. "I honestly don't know what his problem is!"

"Maybe you're being too hasty," Gupta said. It had been a while since Alfred heard him say anything.

"Hasty? How?"

"I think Kiku…is probably a person who isn't used to so much interaction, so you trying to…how can I put this…to throw yourself at him in a way, is overwhelming him, so he's repelled by it because he's not used to it."

"You know, I think Gupta is right." Neeraja turned to Alfred. "You need to give Kiku time to get used to being talked to."

"Why does everybody tell me I need to give him time? I've given him a hell of a lot of time and he still doesn't say a word to me voluntarily! I either have to talk to him first, or somebody tells him to talk to me…"

"Have you heard Yao's story?" asked Heracles.

"Yeah…though he says it's Kiku's actual life, not a story."

"Then you should have your answer."

"But Herc, even if I do know that he's been lonely-"

"Alfred, I don't mean to offend in any way when I ask this but, why do you need everybody to like you?"

"Huh?"

"There are going to be people who like you, and people who hate you, sometimes for no good reason at all, like Damian does."

"So you're saying Kiku hates me just because he can?"

"I'm not saying it's because he can. I think it's because he doesn't know you very well, like he knows Ludwig and Feliciano, and since that 8th grade fight, his will to speak to you diminished drastically."

"In other words, he saw your negative side that day," Gupta said. "Because he saw your negative side and exactly how bad it was, he probably felt like you hold grudges or something like that."

"How do you know this?"

"I don't. I'm just taking wild guesses."

Alfred sighed. "But I'm not a bad guy! It's just…why can't we at least be acquaintances?"

"Alfred, you don't need-"

"I know that Herc, but still!"

"Alfred, I think I know what's wrong."

He turned to Neeraja. "What?"

"You want to get rid of the guilt that's been building up inside of you. Am I right?"

"Well…I…I don't know…"

"I think it is." She smiled. "I bet you want to make amends with him because you beat him up, thinking it was his fault that all the problems were happening to the other clubs, and then in the end, it was really the club leader manipulating him. Did you ever say sorry?"

"I…I never got the chance to actually…now that I think about it…"

"That's probably why then."

Noticing Alfred's troubled expression, Heracles asked, "Do you want me to still talk to him? Maybe I can get a more legit answer out of him."

"Would you please?" Alfred asked sadly. "I don't want him to live the rest of his life thinking I beat him up and I blamed him for it the whole time. I didn't…I really didn't know until after the fight happened…and…"

Heracles put a hand on his shoulder. "It's okay Alfred. Don't beat yourself up about it. I'll talk to him if you want." He gave him a reassuring smile, making Alfred beam.

"Thanks! You're the best!" He gave him a big bear hug, something Alfred was known for. "Well, nice talking to you guys! And thank you too, Raj and Gupta!"

The Indian student chuckled. "It's no problem Alfred. I'm glad I was able to help!"

Gupta nodded, Alfred guessing his session for talking was over now.

Reassured, the blonde walked back to his table. Heracles shook his head and smiled. "It's probably just a pride thing."

Neeraja gave a laugh. "Probably."

"Alfred is really affectionate though. I wonder if Kiku will be able to handle that since he's not used to affection."

The Indian student gave another laugh and Gupta just continued eating his food. The three noticed Arthur coming into the cafeteria, Logan at his heels.

"Iggy, your school is so big! And it's really nice! I wonder how much it cost to make this place? Good thing it's in a nice neighborhood, since it'll probably look out of place in a bad area."

"Well Logan, when you find out the answer, I would be so grateful if you didn't tell me."

The Australian student huffed. "Why are you mean all the time?"

"I am not mean."

"I think you are. Sometimes I wonder how you even have friends…"

"And I fear for those who do become _your_ friends."

"Iggy, I know I can be a bother sometimes-"

"Oh really now?"

Logan ignored that question. "But I really would like for us to become closer as cousins! I hardly ever get to see you, except during family reunions, but then you're always hiding because your older sis and brothers come and pick on you. Peter is really nice though."

"It's because he's a little boy and he still doesn't know how annoying you are since he himself can be very frustrating."

"Crickey Iggy! You have one of the most horrible attitudes I ever saw!"

"It's because everybody thinks it's funny to bother me and ruin the happiness I know called solitude."

"Well yeah, of course it's funny. You get angry at everything!"

Arthur walked to the line and picked up a tray, grabbing whatever he wanted to eat from the counter, Logan right next to him doing the same.

"But really Iggy, you need to lighten up a bit, otherwise not a lot of people are going to like you."

"What are you talking about? Of course people like me!"

"Maybe the girls since you're a self-proclaimed gentleman and you have an accent, but the guys too. You need to have a good amount of friends! Well, it's quality over quantity, but still!" He thought for a moment. "But then again, those friends you hang around with seem to like you enough. Maybe it's because you can be a nice person sometimes. Hey I have an idea! Can I hang around with you and your friends for a while?"

"What?" Arthur asked as he paid for his food. "No, absolutely not Logan. Go make your own friends! If you always stick around me you're never going to get to know people with your same interests!"

Logan paid and followed Arthur to his table. "Oh come on! I only asked for a little while!" Arthur sat down in his usual seat, between Alfred and Francis. Logan looked at them, Alfred smiling at him. "Hey Logan!"

"Good afternoon mate! Mind if I sit here?"

"No go ahead! We have room for one more!"

He felt Arthur poke his side with a spork. "Ow! Arthur, don't do that!" The British student just glared at him.

"Well fine then," Logan said, his temper finally showing. "Obviously Iggy doesn't want me around."

"Stop calling me Iggy! My name is Arthur!"

"You get angry when I call you Artie though! But you don't get angry when your friends call you that! You can be a really hurtful person, you know that right?"

"What exactly is your point Logan?"

Logan rolled his eyes and shook his head, an angry expression finally forming on his face. "Nevermind. Guess I'll go sit somewhere else…" He walked a bit sadly around the cafeteria looking for somewhere to sit, but a lot of the tables were full.

"Oh, you're Logan, Arthur's cousin right?" asked Heracles.

"Yes…unfortunately…"

"Do you have anywhere to sit?" asked Neeraja.

"I wanted to sit with Iggy but he didn't let me…"

"Well you can sit here with us if you want. Is that okay with you two?" Gupta nodded and Heracles smiled. "Of course. Logan, if you don't have anywhere to sit, you can sit with us. Our table is smaller than some of the other ones, but there's space for one more."

Logan's happy expression returned. "Thanks!" He sat down next to Heracles.

"I'm Heracles, and this is Neeraja and Gupta."

"Hello!"

Gupta just put up a hand as a hello.

"Wow, I'm so glad there's nice people here, unlike some others I know…"

Neeraja laughed. "Well Arthur can be a jerk at times."

"More like all the time…"

"Don't worry," Heracles said. "If we all were able to handle his attitude for at least ten years, you'll do fine."

Logan laughed. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I don't hate Iggy. I just wish he'd be nicer to me, and to other people."

"He is, just, he doesn't show it very much. He actually gets very protective of his friends when something bad happens."

"Oh, like that time in 8th grade? My mother was talking about it with his over the phone a few years ago."

"Yeah, like that."

Back at Alfred's table, Francis shook his head. "Arthur, be nice to your cousin. It's his first day here. The poor boy looked so hurt after he got the hint you didn't want him around…"

"Francis, he isn't a part of your family so you don't know anything about him."

"Oh but I do know how frustrating it can be to be acquainted with somebody who seems like he has a stick up his-"

"So anyway," Aksel began changing the subject. "What did you need to talk to Heracles for Al?"

"Oh, just stuff." He ate some fries.

"What kind of stuff?"

"Mm…just stuff."

"You asked him to talk to Kiku didn't you?"

"Arthur you know too much and you weren't even here!"

"I know your habits Alfred."

"Really Al," Gilbert said. "Why do you care so much about Kiku hating you or not?"

"I just…I just don't want him to think that I hurt him because I thought it was his fault all the problems were happening…"

"But you did think that."

"No I didn't! Well…I mean…I didn't know his club leader was the one who plotted everything…"

"Stop feeling so damn guilty," Lovino said. "If he doesn't get over it, then that's his shit, not yours."

"But I never even got to tell him I'm sorry…"

"What? Why?"

"Because…after the fight…he never spoke to me again and would avoid me whenever possible…then I guess…I just kinda forgot…"

"Alfred, I never knew you didn't say sorry to him!" Matthew exclaimed. "And here you are trying to be friends…you should have really started with an apology first…"

"Thank you Matt. I would have never thought of ever doing that after I spoke to Heracles."

"There's no need to be sarcastic about it…"

"Well, when are you going to talk to him?" asked Feliciano.

"After Heracles gets an answer from Kiku. Then when I know, I'll be able to handle it maturely."

"That will be a first."

"You know Artie, sometimes I wonder how a nice guy like Logan is related to you…"

* * *

It was finally the end of the day and all the students reported back to their homeroom to turn in their schedule cards.

"Well," Mrs. Rosales began as she walked around the room collecting the cards. "I hope you all had a nice day back. Now I'm going to go to my desk to make sure every slot is signed or stamped. You can talk if you want. We only have a few minutes left anyways." There were many reasons why Mrs. Rosales' students loved her so much. This was just one of them.

Heracles took this time to talk to Kiku. He turned around in his seat. "Hey Kiku."

The boy looked up at him timidly. "Oh, h-hello Heracles-san. Uhm, did you have a nice day back?"

"Yes. Logan joined our table at lunch today. Arthur wasn't being so nice to him."

"Oh, I see. Well, yes, Arthur-san can be a bit difficult to get along with. But I'm glad you invited Logan-san to your table. That was very nice of you."

"Thanks." He smiled at him, making Kiku blush again, though by now this was a default feature of his face. "Hey, can I ask you something?"

"Oh, yes, of course Heracles-san."

"It's probably none of my business, but…do you dislike Alfred? I'm only asking because I've been noticing that all day he's been trying to get your attention, but you shut him up after the first sentence escapes from his mouth. I don't know. I was just curious. I hope you don't feel like I'm being nosy. It's fine if you don't want to answer."

Kiku was hesitant to respond, but after a few moments, he spoke. "Alfred-san is just very obnoxious and likes to get into everyone's business. To me it seems like everybody must like him in this school, otherwise he will end it all. That is an arrogant way of thinking."

"But Damian doesn't like him, and according to Alfred, neither does Mr. Jenkins. There are a few people who think he's annoying overall, and people who hate him like Damian, but Alfred doesn't really care about them. I don't think he'd go to such extremes like suicide just because not everyone likes him. He's not as dumb as some people think."

"Then if this is true, why is it so important that he needs me to like him? I'm very lost Heracles-san."

"I don't know Kiku. You can probably ask him."

"I'd rather not and leave things be."

"Kiku, you're a really nice guy. I can see it, Feliciano can see it, Ludwig can see it, Manuel sees it, and various other people you talk to can see it. But Alfred doesn't see it, at least that's what I think. For all I know, you can be really hurting his feelings because he doesn't know why you're so bitter toward him."

Kiku stood quiet and just picked at the eraser on his desk. "Alfred-san is…"

"Does this have anything to do with what happened in 8th grade?"

"Well…"

"Kiku, Feliciano and Ludwig have gotten over it. Now they're really good friends with Alfred and the rest. Don't they have fun together now and Alfred includes them in everything they do?"

"Yes…I have heard some stories about Feliciano-kun and Ludwig-san enjoying themselves quite a bit with Alfred-san and the others…"

"Why don't you join them?"

Kiku looked at his eraser and was now picking at it with both his hands. Heracles could tell he was thinking or that he was nervous. He noticed these habits of Kiku's over the years. "You know, I think I know why."

The Japanese student looked up at him. "Hmm?"

"You feel like you won't be accepted by them, am I right?"

Kiku looked down again and rubbed a small chunk of eraser between his pointer finger and thumb. "I…"

Heracles put his hand on Kiku's, making the latter blush furiously. "Kiku, if you didn't think you weren't going to be accepted by people, why are you friends with Feliciano, Ludwig, Manny, and myself?"

"I…"

"Thinking about it again, I don't believe that's the real reason why you don't talk to Alfred. Look at me Kiku."

Noticing the seriousness in his voice, Kiku immediately looked up at Heracles. The last thing he ever wanted to do was get the Grecian angry.

"You're still afraid of him, aren't you?"

Kiku bit his lip. That was the closest Heracles was going to get to a 'Yes'. He smiled, the expression calming Kiku down. "Let me tell you something. The only time I have ever seen Alfred extremely angry and violent was on that day. But do you know why?"

Kiku shook his head.

"It's because his friends were threatened, and that's something Alfred won't tolerate. He may be obnoxious, a bit on the naïve side, and even a little arrogant, but he is hardly ever angry or sad. Aside from that year, I never remember Alfred wearing anything on his face but a smile. If you think Ivan is scary when he's angry, Alfred can be just as bad as him. But most of the time, he's pretty cheerful and talkative. He really wants to be your friend Kiku. And don't think he still blames you for what happened in 8th grade."

"He never…" Kiku began. "I don't…ever remember…Alfred-san telling me…that he was sorry though…"

"Sorry?"

"If what you say is true, and he doesn't blame me anymore, why has he never apologized to me?"

_That's it then_, Heracles thought. _Neeraja was right after all._ "Did you ever give him the chance to say sorry to you?"

Kiku looked up at him in subtle shock. "I'm…I beg your pardon?"

"Did you let Alfred have the chance to apologize? Because from what I remember, you'd always avoid him whenever possible. I don't mean to sound like a jerk, but I don't think it's entirely Alfred's fault if he never apologized to you. I bet if you wanted him to apologize to you but you never gave him the chance and he was impulsive about it and forced you to listen, you'd still be afraid of him and think badly about him. He probably didn't want to worsen the wound he left on you, so that's why he never forced you to listen to him. He doesn't want you to think badly of him more than you already do. That might be why he's never apologized to you."

Kiku slowly removed his hand from Heracles, uncomfortable with the contact. He put his hands on his lap and looked at his desk again. Noticing Kiku's discomfort, Heracles said, "You don't have to listen to what I say. It's not mandatory and it's entirely up to you. But, I really think…you should take some time to contemplate what I said. The more you push him away, the less likely he'll ever apologize, even though that's really all you want from him."

Heracles put his hand on Kiku's head and ruffled his hair. "I know you're a good guy Kiku, but I also know you have a hard time trusting people. That's okay though. Just take a chance. You'll never know what will happen unless you try, okay?"

"Heracles-san…"

"Yes?"

"You…you seem to be wise beyond your years."

"It's because my mother would always talk to me about everything and anything so most of my knowledge about these things I get from her. And believe it or not but…when I was little, Mr. Adnan would teach me life lessons too. Sometimes he still does. While I hate to admit it, I have to thank him as well for that. I'm just passing on what little knowledge I have to you."

The bell rang indicating it was finally time to go home. Kiku collected his things and put them in his bag. He didn't have a backpack like most of the students, but one of those you sling around your shoulder. "Uhm, it was nice speaking to you Heracles-san. I must leave now. I don't want anyone to get my seat in the bus…" He gave a small bow and then walked quickly out of the door.

Heracles got his things and walked out at a normal pace, going to his locker to put away the unnecessary text books and take the required ones for his homework assignments.

"So Herc," Alfred asked as he walked to his locker. Matthew followed him. "What happened?"

"You need to say sorry to him."

"Really? That's the reason why?"

"He's also a bit afraid of you."

"But I wouldn't hurt a fly!"

Matthew raised an eyebrow. "Alfred, you're always complaining about the flies in the summer. You have Raid at the ready and a flyswatter when we're having a barbeque outside."

"You like making me look bad don't you?"

"I'm not doing it on purpose! I-I'm just being honest…"

"Sometimes it's better to tell a white lie."

"But then when does it stop before it turns into a huge lie?"

Heracles, feeling that the brothers were going to start their usual daily argument, decided to intervene. "Anyway Alfred, that's really all Kiku seems to want. He just wants to be assured you don't hold a grudge or anything."

"If I was holding a grudge, I wouldn't bother trying to be his friend!"

"Kiku doesn't know that."

The American sighed. "Well okay. I'll apologize…"

"Wait a few days."

"What? Why?"

"Kiku thinks I asked him these questions out of curiosity. If you try to apologize to him tomorrow, he'll get suspicious and find out that you asked me to do this for you. Then he might think less of you because you couldn't do it yourself."

Alfred sighed. "This guy is really hard to get a hold of…"

"But once you do, he's always there ready to help you out."

"Well, I won't be able to comment until that actually happens to me…"

"Alfred," began his younger twin. "Let's get to the bus. I don't want it to leave us again."

"Oh, right."

* * *

The three walked out of the main building and to the front of the school where the parking lot was. "Matthew!"

The boy turned around. "Oh, hey Victoria."

She seemed to be out of breath. He guessed she had been running. "I…I forgot to give you something."

"What is it?"

She handed him a present. "It's…a late Christmas gift from me…"

"Oh, well, thank you! B-but…now I feel bad because I didn't get you anything in return!"

"Don't worry about it Matthew. I don't care about that and it's not like you knew I was going to get you something anyway. Just open it."

Matthew unwrapped the gift and encountered a box. He opened it up and saw a small teddy bear plushie with a hockey uniform and a hockey stick. "Victoria! This is...!"

"I know how much you like bears…and I know polar bears are your favorite…so I got you that for Christmas…I hope you don't mind since it's a stuffed animal! I didn't know what to get you!"

"Oh thank you so much! And I don't mind, really! It's adorable!" He hugged her and her cheeks turned red. "I love it!"

"I-I-I'm g-glad!"

"Hey Vic," asked Alfred. "Why are you stuttering? It's not that cold in the afternoons. And why is your face red?"

She hit him in the arm with her textbook and hurried to her own bus.

"What the hell was that for?" Alfred yelled as he rubbed his arm. "Man, the nerve of some people…"

He boarded the bus followed by his brother and Heracles. A lot of the students were already on, Kiku being the first. He was seated in the back as usual all by himself.

Matthew saw Damian walk up to the bus and really hoped he wouldn't come inside. The doors were already closed, but he didn't know how bad this guy might be.

"Well, looks like the government finally found the illegals and decided to ship them back to where they came from," he told his friends. "Taking the wannabe immigrants with them too." He pointed to Matthew and Alfred.

"Hey Damian," Alfred asked out the window. "I got a phone call from my cousin in Texas."

"Why the hell do I care Jones?"

"Well he asked if I knew anybody who wanted a pony. Her name is Sugarcakes and I told him that a classmate of mine named Damian would like one. Remember last year when you told me that when you were little you wanted a pony? Well I gave him your address so he'll send a letter to you telling you how to take care of her. I just wanted to let you know."

The entire bus laughed, looking out the windows at Damian. His friends couldn't help but crack a smile.

Damian outraged, flipped him off. "Fuck you Jones!" But his words died out when the motor to the bus started and drove away from the parking lot.

Alfred laughed and sat back down in his seat. Matthew chuckled and said, "Alfred, you really did that?"

"Yup!"

Arthur and Francis got up from their seats a little and folded their arms on top of the twins' seat. "Does your cousin know about it Alfred?" asked Francis.

"Actually yeah he does. I told him about Damian and how he's a big jackass, so he agreed to play along. He really did send a letter."

"Bloody hell Alfred," Arthur said as he chuckled. "I can't believe your cousin actually agreed to do something like that."

"He's one of my closer cousins. Plus, we always used to do things like this when we were younger."

"Alfred!" shouted Feliks from the back of the bus. "Does your cousin really have a pony named Sugarcakes?"

"No he doesn't. I was just lying."

"Oh…"

"You wanted the pony, didn't you Feliks?"

"Yeah…kinda…"

"But you'd have nowhere to put her," Toris said. "Your backyard isn't big enough and you don't even have a ranch or anything like that."

"I was like, going to keep her in my room Toris!"

"She's a horse. She needs to be outdoors so she can run and exercise! She'll be miserable if she was stuck indoors all the time in such a small space."

"I'll just put her in a stable! You know, those places where like if you have a horse but nowhere to put it, you take it to that one place and they'll keep it there for you as long as you pay?"

"No…actually…I don't know what you're talking about…"

"Gosh Toris. You really need to learn more about horses. They're beautiful animals!"

Alfred laughed. "Well Feliks, when one of my cousin's horses has a foal, I'll tell you about it. Maybe your parents will let you have one."

"Oh my gawd! I would _so_ love that! Would you really tell me Alfred?"

"Sure!"

"Thanks!"

* * *

The school bus came to the first stop, the stop where the majority of the students got off. Alfred and Matthew said their goodbyes to the students as they walked out and down the sidewalks to their homes.

Kiku was the last to get off. As he passed by Alfred's seat, he gave him a side glance that only lasted an instant and then hurried to join Yao and his other cousins. Alfred wondered what that look meant, though at the same time it frustrated him.

The doors closed, and the bus went on its way. Matthew looked at Alfred and asked, "You're still curious about the whole hate thing aren't you?"

"Yeah…"

"But don't worry Alfred. Everything is going to work out."

"I guess…"

The bus reached the second stop. Neeraja and Gupta got up and began walking down the aisle to the door. "Goodbye Alfred and Matthew!"

"Bye Raj! See you tomorrow!"

"Goodbye!"

Alfred waved at Gupta who waved back in return. "Hey, did you know Gupta finally talked? It's been forever since I've heard him speak."

"Really? Well, he doesn't have a lot to say."

"Yeah I know."

Navah passed by the twins' seat and said to Matthew, "Today was such a busy day! I wasn't able to discuss the book with you Matthew!"

"That's okay. We can do it tomorrow."

"Oh, alright. Well goodbye!"

"Bye!"

"Bye Alfred!"

The blonde waved and smiled timidly at her. She chuckled and got out of the bus.

"You were tongue tied again, weren't you?"

"I didn't want to say anything stupid! And hey, I don't victimize you when Katyusha is around."

"Wh-? Yes you do!"

"But not all the time!"

Finally there was only one more bus stop to go. When they reached it, the five remaining got off and said farewell to the bus driver.

"Today wasn't exactly a good day back…" Alfred said.

"It's the Kiku thing again isn't it?" Manuel asked.

"Well yeah!"

"Ay, really Alfred. Why do you care so much if he doesn't like you?"

"I don't know! I guess it's because…I'm friends with practically everyone. And in homeroom, I'm on good terms with everyone, except Kiku."

"You know if I didn't know you, I'd say you're bothered by it because you play for the other team and you're attracted to the little guy."

Alfred's eyes widened as he looked at Manuel, shock plastered all over his face. "What the hell? You think I'm bothered by this because I'm gay?"

Alicia laughed and Eva tried really hard not to do the same. Matthew was chuckling silently.

"I didn't say that! I said if I _didn't_ know who you were, that could be an assumption I'd make! I know you don't go that way Alfred!"

"Well don't assume Manny, because it makes an ass out of you and me, and I don't want to be an ass! I mean, I can see why you'd think Francis was like that if you didn't know him, but me? Really?"

"And is there something wrong with somebody being gay?"

"No! There's not! But that's still an assumption you shouldn't make."

"Just forget what I said okay?"

"Yeah I'll try. Geez, thanks a lot…" He huffed. "You know, just because guys take care of their appearance doesn't necessarily mean they're gay. Really Manny. I'm not going to talk to you for a while."

"I have churros at my house."

"So?"

"My _abuelita_ also brought some candy from Mexico over the Christmas break." He took out a bag of Mexican candy. "They're really good. Do you want some?"

"I hate you," Alfred said as he took the bag and began to eat the candy. Manuel could tell he liked them because he kept scarfing them down. The Mexican boy smiled. "Forgive me now?"

"M'kay, but this is the absolute last time I'll be persuaded to forgive you with Mexican sweets," he said with his mouth full. "Damn these are good…"

"Well, we'll see you later Alfred," Alicia said as they reached their house. The three siblings walked inside, their Chihuahua running outside to greet them. Manny beamed.

"Conchita!" he exclaimed as he picked her up. He let her lick his face.

Matthew smiled and walked to the front steps of his own house, taking out the keys and unlocking the door.

"Hey Alfred!" shouted Manuel. "Can I come over today?"

"Not unless you bring pan dulce with you."

"I don't have any right now though…"

"Then sorry, you can't come."

Manuel just shook his head and followed his sisters inside the house.

"He's gonna come over anyway," Matthew said.

"Yeah he is."

Manuel had been their neighbor for a long time, as long as Alfred could remember. Even though he was a bit closer to Arthur and Francis, Manuel had been his first real friend. Though their relationship was a bit similar to Arthur's and Francis', they weren't always fighting and got along better than the other pair.

"Alfred, before you get comfortable and start watching TV, can you please help me with the dishes?" Matthew asked when he noticed Alfred threw his backpack and textbook on the couch.

"I'm tired though…"

"You didn't even do anything! And baseball practice doesn't start until next week…"

"Oh fine…"

He got up and washed the dishes since it was his turn this week. Because their mom was always working and she didn't get home until six, the twins had to do a lot of the housework during the week. Not that they minded since they got an allowance anyway.

Alfred put the last dish in the dish rack and said, "I'm gonna go outside to the back and feed Hero and Maple okay?"

"Okay. I'll start on the homework."

"Gonna let me copy?"

"No…it's not even that hard. It's just review…"

Alfred opened the sliding glass door to the backyard where the dogs were kept. In an instant, his dog Hero jumped on him, knocking him down and licking his face.

"Ha ha! Hero! I missed you while I was at school!" He scratched the dog between the ears, the animal wagging his tail rapidly. He gave a bark.

Maple walked over timidly to Alfred, licking him gently on his cheek. "I missed you too Maple!" He rubbed their noses together. "You guys hungry?"

Both dogs barked in unison. "Alright!"

He got both of their bowls and put them on the island outside, grabbing the large bag of dog food from the shed. He poured some in each of their bowls and then set them down on the ground. The dogs began to eat their food happily. Alfred put away the food and then walked back inside.

"I miss them when I'm at school."

"You miss them even when you're in the bathroom," chuckled Matthew.

"Well it's not my fault I got attached to them!" Alfred got his backpack and textbook, joining Matthew at the kitchen table. "I wish I could take them to school."

"It's not like kindergarten though Alfred."

"Yeah but still. Why doesn't high school let you have a pet day? We're more responsible now than we were back then."

"Who knows?"

"Why'd you want to name him Maple anyway?"

"Alfred…I already told you… Just do your homework…"

It wasn't difficult to guess which dog was named after which twin. Alfred had named the more excitable dog "Hero" because he was protective of the family, and Matthew named the calmer dog "Maple" because during the fall when they'd take walks in the park, the dog would roll around in maple leaves. Even though Alfred said "Maple" was more of a name for a female dog, Matthew didn't care. He thought it sounded cute.

The door opened and Manuel walked into the kitchen, going to the fridge.

"You can at least knock freeloader," Alfred said as he began writing down the math problems on his paper.

"But you already know I'm gonna be here anyway," Manuel responded. He began to make himself a sandwich. "You guys want one?"

"No, we're fine Manuel," Matthew said. "Thank you though."

"Yeah I want ham, baloney, and turkey in mine with cheddar and mayo. Oh, put mustard in it and some lettuce. Tomatoes too."

"Alfred, we're going to eat when mom gets home!"

The older twin shrugged. "It's just a snack."

"It's going to distract you from homework…" Matthew sighed but said nothing more.

Manuel gave Alfred his sandwich and then grabbed his own, taking out a soda from the fridge, Alfred demanding one too. The boy then walked to the living room and sat on the couch and turned on the TV. He bit into his sandwich.

"He acts like he lives here…" Alfred said biting into his sandwich.

"But mom doesn't seem to mind."

"Because mom would adopt all of the kids on our bus if she could." Both twins laughed, finally agreeing on something for the day.

* * *

The twins had finished their homework within the hour and joined Manuel on the couch. They let the dogs in and just lounged on the couch with their masters. They stood like this for the rest of the afternoon until a car pulled up onto the driveway.

"Oh, mom's here," Matthew said.

"Okay Manny, get out."

"You have to say it nicely or I'm not gonna move."

"My mother has just returned from her job being an engineer and she is going to prepare dinner soon, so I would appreciate it if you left to your own residence right next door so she doesn't stress out trying to make dinner for four. Please and thank you Manuel Sanchez."

Manuel laughed at Alfred's formality. "Jones you crack me up." He put on his shoes. "I'll see you guys tomorrow okay?"

"Okay, bye Manuel!" Matthew said with a wave.

"Bye."

"_Adios!_" He opened the door and held it so Emily could walk inside. She had been carrying a grocery bag.

"Oh Manuel! Thank you! Such a gentleman!"

"It's my pleasure _senora._"

"Would you like to stay for dinner?"

"He already ate mom," Alfred said.

"Nah, it's alright. My mom is making Mexican macaroni and cheese."

"What's that?"

"Well that's what she calls it. It's really just those little macaroni shells with tomato sauce and cheese."

"That sounds delicious!" She gasped. "Are you going to have tortillas too?"

Manuel laughed. "Yup."

"You need to tell your mom to make me some okay? I wanna try it!"

"Sure thing _senora!_ I'll let her know! Well, I gotta go now. She gets really upset if I'm late for dinner."

"Okay, by Manuel!"

He waved and walked to his house next door. Emily closed the door. "What a nice boy." She walked to the kitchen and set down the grocery bag. Matthew got up and helped his mom put the things away.

"Alfred sweetie, take the dogs outside. I'm gonna start dinner soon."

"Okay mom." He got up from the couch and led his dogs outside, throwing a ball into the yard so they had something to do.

"Let me just go upstairs to change and then I'll start dinner," she told Matthew as he was putting away the last of the groceries.

"Okay."

Alfred walked to the kitchen and washed his hands. "I wonder what we're gonna have today?"

"Probably the usual. Steak and mashed potatoes."

"Sometimes mom makes pasta too."

"And other times rice. She should try making Chinese food."

"Nah dude, that's what takeout is for."

* * *

It was always the same every day. Emily would come home and make dinner. The twins would help her. Then they'd sit down and eat, talking about their day.

"So boys, how was your first day back at school?"

"Victoria gave me a Christmas present!"

"Really? Oh how sweet! What is it?"

"It's a teddy bear with a hockey uniform."

"How cute!" She pointed her fork teasingly at Matthew. "I think she might have a thing for you."

"What? Why do you think that?"

"She's always so nice to you and giving you things!"

"Mom! I don't think she's attracted to me…"

"What? Why?"

"Because…I'm…well I'm a bookworm and girls aren't usually attracted to guys like that…"

"Oh be quiet Matty. You and your brother are highly attractive, whether you know it or not. You get that from me. Mm hmm." She ate some more pasta.

"Really?"

"Mom's right Matt," Alfred said. "I mean, you're my twin. You can't possibly look ugly at all!"

"I don't know whether to thank you or sigh…"

Alfred laughed. "Well it's not a lie! And hey, at least I'm not like Gilbert."

"That's true."

"Well Al, tell me how your day went."

"It was okay I guess. Mr. Jenkins sat me in the front…for the whole semester…"

"Why?"

"Because Alfred talks a lot and sleeps when he sits in the back."

"Oh but Al, you do your work. You ace the tests he gives most of the time too. And you passed his class with a good grade last semester!"

"I know right? That's what I told him!"

"I think he might hate you."

"Yeah I think so too."

Sometimes Matthew couldn't believe how similar his mother and brother were. At times he felt estranged from them because of this.

"And also…"

"Yes? What?"

"I think Kiku doesn't like me…"

"You mean that cute little boy at school? The Asian one?"

"He's Japanese."

"Oh, well him."

"Yeah…"

"You fought with him in 8th grade, so I can understand why he isn't so friendly toward you."

"But mom! Feli and Ludwig have forgiven me and now we're buddies!"

"Did you apologize to them?"

"Well yeah! I even visited them in the hospital even though I was there myself!"

"Did you apologize to Kiku?"

"No…I mean…I was going to…but he never gave me the chance…"

"Mm hmm. That's why. Give him time."

"Everybody tells me that and I'm tired of waiting!"

"Alfred, while I know you love making friends, not everybody has to like you, though I would prefer it if they did."

"That's what Heracles told me today…" Alfred began explaining to his mom and his brother about the conversation he had with the Grecian during lunch, and what Kiku had told him in homeroom.

"Sometimes sorry is all a person needs to hear Alfred," his mom said. "But you have to mean it."

"I know…"

"Well, I'm sure he's not a bad kid. From what I heard, he didn't really have his own parents bring him up in this country. The poor thing… He's probably really lonely…"

"Yeah, Yao told me about it."

"Just listen to what Heracles said. He seems like a very smart boy. I'm sure you and Kiku will be good friends in no time!"

"Okay mom."

"And once you're his friend, spend as much time as you can with him okay? Show that Jones spirit and friendliness!"

"Yes ma'am!"

"Good! And then bring him over one day so I can meet him! I've loved all of your friends. I want to see what he's like!"

"Yes ma'am!"

"And then he'll be one of your best friends and then you guys can go to Disneyland with everyone! And take a lot of pictures!"

"Yes ma'am!"

"Now do the dishes after dinner!"

"Yes ma'am!" He paused. "Wait…"

Matthew couldn't help but laugh. His mom had ways of tricking Alfred into doing things around the house that he didn't want to do.

* * *

A/N: Just in case you couldn't figure it out, Alfred and Matthew's mom is basically Alfred's gender-bended form. And I like to think of Heracles as...somebody who is an advice giver, which is why he had an important role in this chapter. I hope I loosened up on the whole blocks of text thing too, though the large amount of dialogue is here to stay, throughout most of the entire story. I always have a lot of dialogue because I've read actual novels with _way_ too much description (even more than my fanfics have) and I get so lost and then I forget who is speaking to whom...

And I know that "Raj" is actually a male name, but Alfred gives nicknames to most of his classmates, at least the ones with names long enough to shorten.

There is also such a thing as Mexican macaroni and cheese, at least in my household. We either use the usual macaroni or the shell kind. It's actually very good.


	4. Step One

A/N: Wow, thanks for the favorites guys! It really means a lot to me! Well, here's the next chapter. Hope you enjoy. But a few warnings: Damian is offensive in this chapter a.k.a. racial slurs have begun to become present. Just wanna warn you guys ahead of time. Also, Taiwan (Mei) says something ignorant, in which her mother scolds her for it. Uhm, this also might be a controversial chapter depending on how you look at it. Yep, just wanted to let you guys know.

* * *

Chapter 4: Step One

"Ugh…" Alfred complained. "I hate the fricken winter…"

"It's really not that bad," Matthew told him.

"Yeah but you like cold places!"

"Stop whining Alfred," Arthur said. "Whining won't help you any."

"And this is coming from the guy who finds something to complain about twenty-four seven…"

"I beg your pardon? I do not complain!"

"Oh, I beg to differ," Francis said with a smirk. "There always seems to be something that is on your nerves. Really, it's been a while since I have seen you be happy for an entire day."

"Nobody was talking to you frog."

It had been about a week since the students returned to school. Alfred and his friends were walking to the front of the school from being dropped off at the front steps near the sidewalk. For being a public school, it was constructed very nicely, it's most prominent feature being a giant metal globe in the front of the school, a little ways before the students climbed the steps to the main building.

"I'm so glad that this school doesn't require uniforms," Elizaveta said. "Otherwise I would be freezing in a skirt and knee-high socks…"

"Oh, but then you'd be more comfortable walking around ~"

"Francis, I am this close to slugging you with my backpack. Don't think I'm unaware of the real reason why you think I should wear a skirt."

"Why Elizaveta, I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Don't act innocent! You tend to have a habit of trying to look under girls' skirts you damn pervert!"

"Oh but they look so good on you."

"Hey now Francis," Gilbert began. "You're my buddy and everything, but don't try hitting on my girl!"

"What?" By now the Hungarian beauty was very annoyed. "Gilbert, for the last time, I am in no way your girl!"

"Really Gilbert," Roderich said shaking his head. "She's already involved with somebody so why you still believe she has feelings for you is beyond me."

"Hey hey, don't think just because you and Liz hooked up that she can't have feelings for somebody else! Gosh you're so conceited, thinking you're better than me."

"I never said that, although sometimes it's difficult not to feel that way."

"See? What did I tell you? Stuck up," he chimed.

"Leave Roderich alone Gilbert! Or do you want me to shove a pencil in an uncomfortable place in your body?" She began to walk away from him, Roderich following her.

"Oh you'll see," said Gilbert. "Someday, she's gonna dump that pansy and realize that I'm the guy for her." He crossed his arms and smirked.

"She didn't like you in third grade so why would she like you now in 11th grade?" Ludwig asked. "You really need to leave her alone. I can't remember how many times she's given you black eyes and broken limbs."

"That's her way of hiding her feelings. You see Ludwig, you'll understand these things when you're older, like me."

"Gilbert, I'm barely a year younger than you are."

"Then why are we in the same grade?"

"Because you were being a brat and didn't want to go to school before I did since you were afraid. You needed me there with you for emotional support. Technically you're supposed to be in twelfth grade but…"

"Okay okay! Geez…"

Feliciano laughed. "You're so funny Gilbert! Aww, but don't worry. My big bro felt the same! He was scared about going to school before me in this country, so my parents put us in the same grade!"

"Stop telling everybody damn it!" It wasn't like everybody didn't already know. Most of them found this out in elementary. "You have such a big mouth!" Lovino pulled on the long strand of curly hair on his younger brother's head.

"N-no! Lovi d-don't do that!" A blush grew on his face, and even though his brother knew the reason, he didn't stop.

"Every time you humiliate me, I'm going to hurt you like this!"

"Leave Feliciano alone. You humiliate yourself anyway…"

"What was that potato bastard?"

"My, everyone is so lively in the morning," Ivan said with a smile. "It's nice being around such lively people ~"

"But they argue a lot too…" Yao commented. He noticed that Kiku had walked to the front of the group before the others, even before Elizaveta and Roderich, and had disappeared inside the building. "I hope Kiku is alright. He hasn't spoken to me much after we started the second semester…and he usually tells me everything…" Yao said to himself.

* * *

It was lunch again and it was same old same old, except by the second week, Aksel decided to join his usual group with Tino and Berwald. Manuel went to go sit with his sisters. Antonio followed him much to Manuel's dismay and the Mexican boy would constantly curse at his cousin, telling him to get lost and leave him alone. Lovino didn't want to be left alone without Antonio, so he followed the Spaniard and joined him, sitting in between him and his cousin, that way there would be less fighting between the two. Gilbert decided to join Roderich, Elizaveta, and Vash to prove to his brother that he could get any girl he wanted, even a tomboy like the Hungarian, because like he had said, "What girl _doesn't_ want a guy like me?"

"Well guys," Alfred said. "Looks like it's back down to just the eight of us."

"Oh, it's kinda lonely without big brother and Antonio…" Feliciano said sadly.

"I'm kind of glad your brother is gone, that way he isn't always glaring at me for no reason…"

"I've told Lovi before not to be mean to you Ludwig, but he won't listen! Oh, I wish I knew why he hates you so much…"

"I wish I knew too, because that way at least I'll know if I did something to offend him."

Heracles passed by Alfred's table with his tray of food and the blonde was able to stop him with, "Hey Heracles!"

"Oh, hello Alfred."

"Kiku already left the cafeteria."

"I know."

"Do you know where he goes during lunch?"

"He used to go to the library, but I think now he goes to the baseball field and eats on one of the benches."

"Oh, really? Why is he eating all the way over there?"

"I wish I knew." There was a pause as Alfred stared at the Grecian. Not changing his expression at all, he asked, "Do you want me to go talk to him again?"

"Wow you're psychic or something!"

Arthur groaned in disbelief and pinched his temple. _Good Lord he is so dense._

"I take that as a yes?"

"Oh pleeeease Heracles?"

"Well, what do you want me to say?"

"Convince him to come to the cafeteria! I already kinda have a plan, but he needs to be here first. Will you do that for me please?"

"I guess so. Okay, I'll see what I can do."

"Thanks Heracles! You really are the best!"

The Grecian walked to his table and said to his tablemates, "I have to run an errand."

"The Kiku thing again?" asked Neeraja.

"Yup. I'll be back. Watch my food please." He only took his sandwich and headed out the door.

"What's going on?" asked Logan.

"Oh, it's Alfred being himself again."

"Hmm, well I don't know what that means, but alright."

"We'll explain it to you later."

"Sounds good!"

* * *

Heracles walked across the baseball field. It was very close to the football field, but he knew better than to try and go that way by himself with all those jocks there. It wasn't that he was afraid, but Alfred had told all of his friends to avoid those kinds of people at all times possible. Just to make the paranoid American happy, he agreed and avoided going in that direction during lunch.

Luckily he found Kiku sitting by himself, eating a sandwich, just staring at the baseball diamond.

"Hey."

Kiku's head turned to the side instantly. "Heracles-san! What are you doing here?"

"I just wanted to talk. May I sit down?"

"Oh…y-yes, if you want…"

Kiku was getting nervous. He was rarely left alone with the Grecian but when he was, he chose his words carefully so as not to sound like an idiot or offend in any possible way.

"The grass is nice out here," Heracles said to break the silence.

"Yes, it is. It is taken care of very well."

"Yup. Kiku, can I ask you a question?"

"Oh, yes."

"Why do you eat outside by yourself here? I mean, it's a bit dangerous since the baseball field is just across from the football field."

"Uhm…well, I seem to be at peace here, so this is where I eat my lunch."

"Oh, I see. Why don't you try coming to the cafeteria? There are a few empty tables left inside."

"I think it would be strange for me to be sitting by myself in an area where everyone is sitting with someone. I would be the center of attention and I'd rather not have that…"

"Well, maybe somebody will invite you to sit with them, just like we invited Logan. Sorry that there isn't a space for another person at our table, because you'd be more than welcome sitting with us."

"Oh…thank you Heracles-san. That is very kind."

"And, all of our classmates eat lunch in the cafeteria, so we get to talk to each other a lot. I think this will be good for you since you'll be able to interact with everyone."

"I'm…not sure…"

"Well, alright, but, the cafeteria would be more complete with you in it you know. Yao gets worried about you because you don't talk to him much."

"Yes well, he is a cousin not a sibling…"

"But he sees you as his little brother. I think it would take a lot of stress off his shoulders if you started eating in the cafeteria."

Kiku looked at his half-bitten sandwich. "I'm not…so certain…about joining you and the rest of my classmates there…"

Heracles shrugged. "Well, it's up to you really. I just don't want you to be out here all the time by yourself. One day the jocks are going to notice you sitting out here all alone. Then what will you do?" He got up. "Hopefully that never happens though. Well, I'll see you later in class Kiku." He waved and then walked away, eating his sandwich as he did so.

Kiku hesitantly took a bite of his own sandwich and contemplated what Heracles said. _It is true that if the athletes catch me here by myself…I could be in big trouble. But…there are also a few people in the cafeteria who aren't very fond of me…oh…what to do…_

* * *

Alfred noticed when Heracles returned to the cafeteria. He walked over to his table and asked, "So how did it go?"

"He's still being stubborn and prefers to be by himself."

"Damn it what is _with_ him? Is he really that content with being lonely? Hell, I sure wouldn't be!"

"Well, just be a bit more patient. You should-"

"If you mention 'time' I'm going to scream…"

Heracles gave a chuckle. "You're a funny one Alfred."

The blonde walked back to his table and sat down sighing. Matthew looked at him. "Don't worry, Kiku will come around soon."

"Gee, I hope so."

"Oh, and don't forget, we have baseball practice today."

"Oh shoot I totally forgot!" In an instant Alfred's cheerful demeanor returned. "Baseball! Man, I haven't been able to play it over Christmas break. I hope I didn't get rusty! Ha!"

Feliciano laughed. "I don't think you've gotten rusty Alfred. Hey! Do you want to do some warm-ups with me today afterschool?"

"Sure Feli!"

"Oh good! Because…I think Lovi is going to be mean to me and throw the ball really hard because of what I said in the morning…"

"Is your brother mean to you all the time?"

"No, he's not mean. He's actually really nice to me sometimes! Uhm…well, that's when nobody else is around…other times he's protective of me, especially when I'm around Ludwig…"

"Wow, I wonder what it feels like to have an older brother."

"Well don't wonder," Ludwig said. "Sometimes having an older sibling is a bother…"

"Mm that depends on who your older sibling is," Ivan said in return. "Katyusha is really nice to me! She's a great older sister and she took care of Natalia and I when my parents would go out somewhere. I love her a lot!"

"Yeah that's easy for you to say Ivan," Arthur retorted. "You have sisters, so of course they're nicer. You all have no idea what it's like being a younger brother until you've had three older ones pick on you until the day they leave for college…"

"But Arthur, everybody picks on you whether they're family or not."

"Apparently you don't know when somebody is talking to you or not Francis. And nobody picks on me as bad as my brothers did!"

"It's because we tease you and taunt you, not actually bully you."

"Still, it's quite irritating, so I would appreciate it if you guys didn't do that anymore please."

"Oh but Arthur, that's how we show our love for you!"

"Not you. You try to show it in other ways you sexual deviant!"

Francis laughed. "You know you like it." He screamed and looked down at his arm, realizing a spork had been jabbed in there. "Arthur!"

"If you don't keep your hands off of me, these are going to be in much worse places on your body."

The French student glared at him. "You really need to calm that temper. Oh now look what you did. I started bleeding! And it's seeping through my new sweater too!"

"Well don't just stand there!" shrieked Matthew. "Hurry and go to the nurse! Oh, here, I'll go with you!"

"Thank you Matthew. At least I know there are still good people in the world."

Arthur ignored the last comment that was clearly directed at him. Matthew took Francis to the nurse and that's when Alfred said, "You know, you should try and be nicer to Francis. He's really not that bad."

"Out of all of you here, I have known Francis the longest so you have no idea what you're talking about."

"Stop complaining," Yao told him. "Don't think you're the only one that is a victim to his perversion. All of us have been molested by him in some way at a certain point."

"Yes but not as much as I have!"

"You should choose your words carefully. Angelique has gotten her unfair share of perverted antics from Francis."

"Yeah well, he isn't going to get anywhere near my pants! That is ALL he wants from everybody! Well I'm not going to just let him have what he wants. No, never. God it's scary that neither females nor males are safe from his shenanigans…"

Alfred shook his head and continued to eat his food. He knew that Arthur didn't really hate Francis as much as he said he did, but he wasn't about to be the next person to be sent to the nurse because he was assaulted with a spork.

* * *

The bell rang and it was finally time for the students to go home, at least the ones who didn't have sports afterschool or any other extracurricular activities like Decathlon or Speech and Debate.

"Baseball!" Alfred shouted as he walked to his locker. "Oh I can't wait to start practicing again!" He opened his locker and got out his duffle bag.

Matthew smiled. "You really love this sport don't you?" He had a duffle bag too. Besides hockey, this was the only other sport the twins both liked playing together.

"Yeah, aside from football, baseball is the best sport ever invented!"

"I still think hockey is more enjoyable though."

"Hey, whatever floats your boat. Hockey you can really only play in the winter, but baseball you can play whenever!"

Matthew rolled his eyes. "Well, let's get going. We don't watch Coach Cruz to get angry with us on our first day back!"

"Ha, yeah. Coach can be scary sometimes if you're late…"

"Not to mention the rest of the team."

The brothers were heading down the hallway and that's when Alfred noticed Kiku still at his locker. He was trying to put some papers in a folder. "Hey, I'll catch up with you right now Matt. I gotta do something first."

"Oh but Alfred!"

"I'll be there right now!"

"Fine…don't take too long," Matthew said as he began to walk away.

"I won't."

The American was going to attempt to talk to Kiku now that he had him alone. Well, at least he thought he was alone until he heard familiar voices coming from around the corner of the hallway, voices that Alfred wasn't too fond of. "Gosh I don't have time for him right now…" He hid behind another corner so Damian and his lackeys wouldn't find him and start annoying him.

"Well well, what do we have here boys?"

Kiku's breath caught in his throat. He ignored him and continued to shuffle through the papers in his folder, trying to balance his textbooks all the while. It was a horrible coincidence that by this time, the hallways were empty.

Damian closed the locker and leaned an arm against it. "So, you think you're too superior to talk to us or what?"

Kiku didn't say anything and stood quiet, still shuffling through his papers.

"Hey, I'm talking to you, you fucking Jap."

Alfred hadn't heard that word in a long time. In fact, he hadn't heard any racial slurs in a while. Not that he liked hearing him. He usually only heard them in movies because in the area where he lived, it was usually pretty tame. People said foul words sometimes, but not like those.

"Please…" Kiku began trying to show some form of backbone. "Do not use that word. It is very hurtful."

"And it's hurtful when you try talking to somebody and they don't answer back. What, you think that because you're Asian and you're smart that you're better than me?"

"I never said anything like that. Refrain from putting words into my mouth."

"My fist is going to be in your mouth in a minute if you don't stop talking back."

Kiku decided that now would be a good time to walk away, but unfortunately, there were three of them, and only one of him. _Oh no…_

Damian put his hand on the smaller boy's head. He laughed. "Damn! You're so short! Hey, and you're skinny too, like a girl. You sure you're a guy?"

Kiku swatted his hand away. "Do not touch me. Please keep your hands to yourself. I am tired of you disrespecting me and other people."

"And what are you going to do about it? Look at you! You're so frail! I mean it's one thing if I was talking to your brother, since he probably knows kung-fu or something, but you? You can't do anything." He flicked him on his forehead and made the small boy flinch. Damian then slapped the books and folder out of his hands, making the loose pages scatter around on the floor.

"Tch. Hard to believe that somebody like you actually took on Jones in middle school. Don't think I haven't heard the stories. I'm just not seeing it since when I try to kick his ass, he puts up a fight. That douche. But you? All I have to do is give you one or two punches, and you're down! Stick to your paper folding or whatever it is your people do."

He began to walk away, his friends behind him. Alfred was glad they walked in another direction and not towards his. He looked around the corner to see the aftermath. He thanked the Heavens they didn't beat up Kiku, at least not this time.

Kiku rubbed his forehead and crouched down to organize the scattered papers. Alfred felt bad for him and decided to help. He began walking his way when he heard a small sob. He stopped and looked. _Is he…crying?_

Sure enough, he was. Not loudly like Alfred used to do when he was little, yelling as if somebody was trying to kill him when all that happened was a classmate wouldn't give him the red crayon.

He walked up to him and put his duffle bag aside, crouching down in front of Kiku. He began to help him pick up the scattered papers. Kiku looked up at him, tears still trailing his cheeks. He watched Alfred gather the loose sheets. He made them into a neat stack and then gave them to Kiku. "Here…"

For a few moments Kiku didn't say anything. He looked straight at him, straight into his eyes.

"What?"

"…uhm…thank you…" He took the papers and put them in his folder. He wiped his face with his sleeve.

"You're welcome." There was a pause. "I saw what happened."

"…you did…" It was more like a statement than a question.

"Yeah. Uh…" He didn't know what to say. "Look, don't listen to them. They don't know what they're talking about okay?"

"Yes, they do. They stated the facts…not opinions…"

"They're not…well…you were…uh…"

"Exactly."

"I'm sorry that I didn't intervene and stop them from bullying you. I just didn't do it because I didn't want you to think I'm more annoying and nosy than you already do. But believe me, if it would have gotten worse, I wouldn't hesitate to help you."

"Oh…I…I see…" Kiku gathered his things and stood up, Alfred doing the same.

"Kiku."

He looked up at him. This was the first time he really noticed Alfred was significantly taller than he, the small boy barely reaching his chest.

"I'm sorry."

"You did not do anything."

"No, I'm sorry about…what had happened in eighth grade."

"You…are?"

"Look…I was stupid. I didn't know that the club leaders were behind everything. I regret ever hurting you. I…what I did was out of line…and I still feel really bad about it. But you…you were being so impulsive…and I didn't know how to defend myself any other way. Kiku, I'm really sorry."

The Japanese student put some hair behind his ear. "Uhm…well…thank you Jones-san, for apologizing…"

"There's no need to thank. I should've done it a long time ago. So…I'm really sorry for everything that I did to you on that day. I hope that…we can establish peace between us now?"

"Well…I…"

"A-And I hope you accept my apology. I really would…like to start over…"

Kiku looked at the floor and then back up at Alfred. "I…I accept your apology. And…I am sorry as well. I was foolish to think that your club and the clubs of your friends would try something like that, especially in middle school. So…I sincerely apologize for what I had done. I hope that in return…you accept mine as well…"

Alfred smiled. "Of course I do. Can we…start over now?"

"Uhm…I suppose so. Yes…I-I think…uhm…I would like that very much…"

"Okay." He held out a hand. "Hey there! My name is Alfred! Sorry about before, but I really would like it if we could become friends!"

"Uhm…h-hello…" He took his hand. "I'm sorry about before as well. My name is Honda Kiku, and I think…that we can probably have a stable friendship." They shook hands.

"I think so too! Hey, now that we've made up, do you want to hang out?"

"Hang out?"

"Yeah! Except, not after school today since I have my first baseball practice of the second semester. But why don't you sit with me during lunch?"

"In…the cafeteria?"

Alfred laughed. "Well where else? Feli is going to be SO psyched when he hears that we're friends now! You know, he worries about you a lot. So does Yao."

"Yes, I have heard."

"Well, whaddya say? Wanna join us for lunch tomorrow?"

"I…I'm not sure…"

"Oh. Okay then. Well, whenever you feel ready, we'll have a spot for you at our table! We have a round table so we can look at everyone and talk more efficiently that way nobody gets ignored. Except sometimes we do it to Arthur on purpose just to see him get angry. It's really funny."

"I thank you for your kind invitation, Alfred-san."

The blonde beamed. That was the first time since the fight that Kiku had called him by his first name. "Oh it's no big deal! Just sit with us whenever you feel like it okay?"

"Okay."

"Well I gotta run, or else Coach is gonna chew me out. Don't want that again…" He sighed, but then the smile returned. "Okay, guess I'll see you tomorrow Kiku!" Alfred ran off trying to hurry to the baseball diamond.

Kiku watched him leave. "Maybe…if I join him…then Damian won't pick on me as much…" He shook his head. "No, that is a horrible thought to think about! Alfred-san just sincerely apologized to me. I cannot abuse his friendship in such a manner! B-But either way…I will sit with him during lunch now. At least…I will try…"

He looked at his cell phone. "Oh, I have missed the school bus…now I have to take the public one…" He took out his wallet (which was actually a coin purse but he denied it whenever Yong Soo would ask) and looked for change.

"Oh, wonderful. I have enough for the public bus."

* * *

Alfred waited at the front of the school with the other baseball players.

"Oh, there's my mom!" Feliciano said. "Bye everyone!"

"Bye Feli!"

Feliciano and Lovino got into the car, the older brother telling Feliciano to sit in the back because he liked the passenger seat.

"Sometimes I feel bad for Feli. Poor guy. He's sweet and everything, but he's a pushover…"

Matthew smiled. "Yeah, I know what you mean Al."

The twins had to wait a while longer than the rest of the students for their mom to pick them up.

"Hey Manny."

"Yes?"

"Why can't you just ask your mom to come and get you? And wait, don't you drive already?"

"I drive, but I don't have a license. Geez Alfred, I'm not so dumb that I would drive a car without a license…"

Emily pulled up in front of the school and honked. The twins and Manuel ran down to get in. Alfred was a bit of a mama's boy (but then again so was Matthew) so he always had to sit in the front. Matthew only got to sit there when he'd run errands with his mother, and even then he only got to sit there half the time because Alfred would tag along due to boredom.

"Hey boys! How was practice?" Emily asked as the three put on their seatbelts.

"It was fine mom, except Alfred got in trouble…"

"On the first day back of practice? Al, what did you do?"

"I was late…"

"You're never late!"

"But I got a chance to talk to Kiku and I went for it!"

Emily gasped. "Really? Oh tell me!"

Alfred proceeded to tell her and the other two about what had happened, the three of them listening intently, even while his mother was driving home.

Emily frowned. "Why doesn't somebody tell the dean or a person of authority about that bully? Don't they notice those things?"

"Damian does it when the teachers are oblivious to it. He hardly ever does it in class, and when he does, it's subtle so they can't really tell…"

"He needs to get kicked out of that school." She turned a corner. "Oh, poor Kiku. Was he really crying?"

"Yes…"

"The poor thing. I can imagine he's probably been bullied a lot. Well, now that you're friends, I am making it you responsibility to watch after him."

"Mom you haven't even met him."

"I don't need to know him to know that he is in dire need of a friend Alfred."

For some reason, that hit Alfred really hard. His mom was rarely ever serious, but he knew her well enough to know when her tone wasn't frivolous or whimsical.

The four finally reached the Jones residence. Manuel thanked them and walked to his house. Being Alfred's next door neighbor had its perks, and Manuel was reaping them almost every single day since he met the twins.

Emily unlocked the front door and walked inside, heading up the stairs to change. The twins didn't have any homework because Emily told them that if they were going to be in a sport, they better keep up their grades, otherwise things weren't going to be pretty.

"Man it feels so good to not have homework, especially when we have sports," Alfred said as he flopped down face first on the couch. Matthew opened the door to the backyard and the dogs rushed inside. Hero trotted over to Alfred and began licking his ear and his cheek. Maple clawed at Matthew's knee asking to be petted. The younger twin chuckled kissed his dog on the head.

"Nooo Heroooo…" Alfred said, his voice muffled by the couch cushion. "I'm tired right now…"

His dog gave a whimper.

"Oh okay, you can lounge next to me then." He sat up and Hero jumped on the couch, stretching out his body across Alfred's lap. The boy laughed and pet his dog, scratching him between the ears again. Hero's tail wagged.

"So boys, what would you like for dinner?" asked Emily.

"Oh, whatever you want to cook is fine mom," said Matthew.

"Hmm…wanna order some pizza? I'm kinda tired today…"

"Yay pizza!" Alfred shot up from his seat. "I'll order it!"

"Okay, just make sure to include the usual."

"Alright!"

"And don't put pineapples on it!" Matthew said. "You always order pineapples…"

"But they're good! Oh fine. I'll order half the usual and the other half with pineapples on top of the usual."

"Okay."

Emily shook her head and smiled. Even though her boys argued a lot, they were still brothers and were able to get along surprisingly well most of the time.

* * *

There was a knock at the door. Kiku put down his pencil and walked over to it. "Yes?"

"Kiku!" said Yao happily. "We're going to eat dinner now. Do you want to join us?"

"Well…I don't know. I was a bit busy with a new landscape."

"Oh, I see." Yao walked into his room. Kiku drew a lot so sometimes Yao wondered if he wanted to be an artist when he grew up. "You have really nice drawings."

"Thank you."

"Have you decided to pursue a career in art?"

"No, I haven't. I'm more interested in medicine."

Yao knew that was a lie, but he wasn't going to pry and bug Kiku about it. "Oh, well okay. Well, the food is ready. Or do you want me to bring it up to your room again?"

"No. I think, I will…join you and the rest of the family for dinner tonight."

Yao beamed. "Oh okay! I'll go tell them then!" He exited Kiku's room hurriedly and walked down the steps almost in a daze. "Kiku is finally going to join us for dinner ~" He felt extremely happy, and not even Yong Soo could ruin the moment when he hugged him from behind in surprise.

"Aniki!" he said. "Gonna sit next to me at dinner again?"

"No, I want Kiku to sit next to me."

"Huh?" He let go of Yao. "Kiku? You mean…he's gonna eat dinner with us?"

"Yes! It's so wonderful!" He walked to the kitchen where his mom was almost done preparing the food. "Mother, Kiku is going to join us for dinner today!"

"Really?" She turned around from putting the food in large bowls. "Oh, that's great!" Chun-Yan Wang was a short and cute woman with two buns in her hair. At times she looked liked her eldest son, but of course, in a more feminine way.

Mr. Wang walked into the kitchen. He had just arrived from work. Yao ran up to him. "Father! Kiku is going to join us for dinner!"

"Oh, that's nice," he said unenthusiastically. Yao frowned on the inside.

"Is Kiku really joining us?" asked Mei.

"Yes!"

"Oh that's great! Finally! Now he won't be alone anymore!"

Yong Soo pouted and crosses his arms. Mrs. Wang smiled. "Yong Soo, you can always sit on the other side of Yao you know."

"But I like sitting on his right side!" He grumbled under his breath.

Kiku came downstairs and walked a bit timidly into the room. Though Yao and a few of the other Asian students in his school were a bit short, Kiku was by far, the shortest male in his class and of the male population. It was a good thing he wasn't the shortest student, otherwise, that would give bullies like Damian another reason to target him. He realized this and mentally compared heights with his older cousin as Yao walked up to him.

"Kiku! Do you want to sit next to me?"

"Alright."

Yao happily showed him to his seat and Kiku sat down. Yao helped his mother put the food on the table and then he took his seat next to Kiku. Yong Soo was now sitting on Yao's left and he kept glaring at Kiku from the side.

As the family began to fill their plates, Mrs. Wang asked, "So, what made you decide to change your mind and come eat with us tonight Kiku?"

"I…wanted to…bond I suppose. I do not have any family in this country aside from you, so…I did not want to be ungrateful any longer. That was very rude of me and I apologize."

"Oh, don't worry about it Kiku! You'll always have a spot here at the dinner table. Right dear?" She looked at her husband who was eating quietly. He said nothing and Mrs. Wang ignored it. "Anyway, how was school kids?"

"It was okay," Yao said. "Arthur was just complaining again about Francis."

"Aiya…your friend seems to take up complaining as a hobby doesn't he?"

Yao laughed. "Yes, he does."

"And what about you Mei?"

"Oh, nothing much."

"How is the progress coming along with that boy you like? The blonde one. Was his name Alfred?"

Mei blushed. "Mom! Not here at the dinner table!"

"I just want to know!"

Mei didn't like talking about such private matters in front of her father, but sometimes her mother forgot to think before she spoke. "Well…okay I guess…"

"That means it's coming along horribly," Li said. Mei looked at him with a scowl.

"No! It's just…well…"

"You can tell her Mei."

She sighed. "It's just…I don't think we're ever going to be more than just friends."

"Oh, why do you say that?"

"He likes that girl…the Arabic one…Navah. I can tell…" She ate a dumpling. "I mean, the way he looks at her and then he blushes sometimes when she speaks to him, and he gets clumsier when she's around. How can that not be obvious enough?" She pouted.

"Well, if that's the case," Mrs. Wang began. "Then I guess you're going to have to stay friends."

"Huh?"

"I don't want you picking fights with anybody Mei. If this boy you like has his eyes set on that classmate of yours, don't fight it. Just remain friends, and don't become hostile to the girl either."

"Yes mom…" Mei sighed. "Just…I wish I could understand. Why did he pick her? I mean, aren't Americans paranoid of people from the Middle East? You know, ever since the September 11th attack—ow!"

Mrs. Wang hit Mei's hand with her spoon. "Hush your mouth Mei. Don't let your jealousy blind you with ignorance. Now you listen to me, that classmate of yours, Navah, from what I heard, she's a very brilliant and kind young lady, and she is Israeli, not Arabic. I don't want you to think badly of her or anybody else in your school of that origin for that matter. Do you understand me?"

"Y-yes mom…"

"Good. Now if Alfred doesn't like you more than a friend, don't beat yourself up about it. He's a high school crush and you'll get over it sooner or later and start to like another boy. There's more fish in the sea Mei."

"Yes mom…"

"Now promise me you won't have any more ill thoughts about Navah."

"I promise." Mei now felt bad about being bitter toward her classmate.

Kiku, being the curious boy he was, asked, "May I…interrupt?"

"Oh of course!" Mrs. Wang said. "What did you want to say Kiku?"

"W-Well, it's more of a question for Mei since she's a girl…"

"I'm a girl too."

"Ah! Yes I know b-but I mean a girl in my class…"

"Oh, okay!"

"Mei?"

"Yes Kiku?"

"I'm only asking this out of curiosity but, exactly…how many girls like Alfred-san?"

Mei thought about it for a moment and took a drink from her beverage. "Well, a few actually to be honest with you. I mean, aside from me, there's Eva who's been crushing on him for the longest time, and a few other girls I don't know, the American-born ones. I'd say…well in our 11th grade class, about five or so, maybe more. It's uncertain. And then there are the ones who think he's very hot or handsome." She blushed a bit and smiled thinking about it. "But those are usually the underclassmen, like the freshman and sophomores."

"Oh, I see. That is quite a huge number. I was just curious because Alfred-san seems to be a bit naïve and…an oaf at times. Guess I just didn't understand why girls would want somebody like that since he doesn't seem to be very bright, but I guess I was proved wrong."

"Damn," Yong Soo commented. "So he's a chick magnet or what?"

"Pretty much yeah," Mei replied nonchalantly. "But then again, a lot of girls also crush on his twin, Matthew, usually the more intellectual ones. I already know of one girl who likes Matthew a whole lot, but she wanted me to refrain from ever telling anyone since she's shy."

"These twin brothers, the Jones Twins, well, they sound like very attractive young men," Mrs. Wang said.

"They are. But then again, a lot of girls also like Arthur because he's British and apparently his accent is sexy. I can't understand it." She shrugged and Yao laughed. "I mean, he's a gentleman to the female peers, but to the males, he's pretty much a jerk."

"Well, Arthur can be like that," Li said. "He's not all bad though."

"Yeah I know, but still." She chuckled. "Feliciano is also a huge chick magnet."

"Oh, that Italian boy?"

"Yep. A lot of the girls like him because he's really cute and sweet, plus he has the highest grade in Home Economics. He's very helpful too and friendly!" She left out the part that he was also a huge crybaby and a coward.

"Aww, well I would like to meet him someday."

"Oh my God, and also, there are _so_ many girls who are practically in love with Antonio."

"He's the Spanish one right?"

"Yep. I think that is the exact reason girls crush on him, because he's Spanish and his accent is pretty alluring too. Also, he's very attractive and nice!"

"Wow. He doesn't even have to do anything for girls to like him then huh?"

"Nope. It just happens automatically."

Mrs. Wang laughed.

"And a lot of girls are attracted to Francis too."

"The French student?"

"Yes, because they think his accent is pretty sexy too. The only thing is…well, pardon my French," She laughed at the horrible pun. "The only thing is he gets bitchslapped a lot for being so perverted."

"Well then I don't want you hanging around with that boy!"

"Don't worry mom, I make sure Francis doesn't get anywhere near Mei," Yao said. "I always have and luckily he hasn't tried anything funny. Besides," he smiled. "Francis' current target seems to be Arthur."

Mr. Wang gave a laugh. "I'll never understand what your French friend sees in him, or what he even sees in other males."

"Dear, not now please," Mrs. Wang told him. "We've already discussed this."

"I understand your point father," Yao began to tell him. "But Francis' sexual preference does not prevent me from being his friend, nor does it prevent the rest of our group from being friends with him either. We were friends with him even before we knew he liked both females and males. We just learned to get used to it. If anything, we wouldn't like him because he's so perverted."

"Which is still something I don't understand. Doesn't it bother you Yao?"

"Not really since he usually targets Arthur or Antonio. Sometimes he targets Angelique or Elizaveta."

"Hmm. Well I'll still never comprehend why he likes males as well as females. I'm very glad that none of you are like that, otherwise, I'd be very devastated. A lot of people don't tolerate that mindset and it won't be tolerated in this household either."

Kiku looked at his plate and stood quiet for the rest of the night. Now that this conversation had been spoken, he felt even more uncomfortable in the Wang household than he had ever been before. He was just glad Mei didn't bring up Heracles otherwise the usual blush on his face would have returned, and he'd be exactly the kind of child Mr. Wang didn't want.

* * *

A/N: No, I'm not gonna make Mei or Yong Soo like, jerks in this story because I love them too much. c: They both just get jealous easily. xD Anyway, I was looking at the Hetalia Wikia again, and "Chun-Yan Wang" is gender-bended Yao's name, so I'mma stick with that since, just like Alfred's mom, Mrs. Wang is basically Yao's gender-bend. Mr. Wang is a character I made up. Yeah... -cough- Anywho, hope I didn't make Kiku too out of character in this chapter.

SO. Hope this chapter satisfied you and thank you for reading my story! I also changed Hungary's name to "Elizaveta" because...I think "Elizabeta" only came up because I've noticed that the "V" is not used in the Japanese language (which sucks since my first name starts with that letter) so when translated to Engrish it sounds like a "B" instead of a "V". Therefore, I think Hungary's name was actually Elizaveta and not Elizabeta. Plus, Elizaveta was the first human name I had seen for her so yeah. Meaningless info but...just wanted to throw that out there.

Also...apparently Denmark and Hong Kong have canon-fanon names and I did not know this until just today. OTL Either way, I'm going to leave their human names as "Aksel" and "Li".

And if some of my author's notes don't make sense or seem half-assed, it's because the TV is on in this room due to my bro. It can be very distracting. I see why I stopped watching it.


	5. Commitment

A/N: Hello again! Here's another chapter to the fanfic. I'm glad you guys are enjoying this story! You don't know how happy that makes me. ;w; I appreciate all the reviews you guys send me! They really give me encouragement and willpower! Lol Well I hope you'll like this next chapter. Another character is introduced and on a side note, Kiku gets hot and bothered. Oh mai.

* * *

Chapter 5: Commitment

The next day went by as usual for everyone at Ambrosia High. Get on the school bus, go to class, have lunch, go to class again, and go home. Currently it was lunch time, which was always Alfred's favorite time of the school day, aside from afterschool when he'd have baseball practice.

"Hey Feli," he told the younger Italian brother at the lunch table. "Did I tell you the news?"

"Hmm? No, what news?"

"Kiku and I are finally friends!"

"Wow! Really? That's great! Oh, I'm so happy! Ludwig! Did you hear!" He tugged violently on the German's sweater.

"Yes, I'm sitting right here Feliciano. Now please stop doing that…" He then looked at Alfred and smiled. "So how did you two make amends?"

"Well…" He then told all of his friends about the incident afterschool with Kiku and Damian, the group frowning and their eyebrows furrowing.

"That guy is so unpleasant," Francis said. "Really, something needs to be done about his behavior."

"Yes, he needs to be taught a lesson. Somebody should corner him in a dark alley, get a faucet pipe and beat him till he's bloody and begs for mercy, and then dump him somewhere in a remote area in the mountains at night ~"

"U-Uhm Ivan…I'm pretty sure th-that's premeditated murder…"

"What's your point?"

Ivan was the only person Francis never dared to molest for very obvious reasons. He also stood away from Katyusha and Natalia despite his temptations.

Arthur noticed Francis' shudder of horror and smiled. Yao looked worried. "Why didn't Kiku tell me this had happened to him?"

Alfred shrugged. "Maybe he didn't want you to worry?"

"But I'm his older brother! I'm supposed to know what happens to my siblings! Mei tells me everything, Li tells me everything, and even though sometimes it's annoying, Yong Soo tells me everything! I like to be informed of what happens to my siblings. I don't like it when they keep secrets from me…"

Matthew patted his shoulder. "Maybe he was just too embarrassed."

"But why?"

"Well…because he wasn't able to defend himself."

"That's my point. Kiku…Kiku gets bullied a lot and he never tells me or anybody in my family about it. I always find out the next day at school from my friends or classmates. He's so quiet. I…I get so worried about him…" Yao put his head in his hands. "Sometimes…I fear that one day…he won't be able to take it anymore…and he…he might…"

"No Yao, don't say things like that."

Yao looked at Alfred. "But I can't help but worry about him."

"Kiku is strong and he's not so weak minded that he'd take his own life just because he's unhappy."

"And how do you know that for sure? You're not very close to him Alfred."

The American didn't know how to respond to that. Feliciano decided to intervene. "But I am, and Alfred is right. Kiku is strong and he wouldn't…he wouldn't do something horrible to himself like suicide. N-No, I don't even want to think about it being a possibility!" He closed his eyes shut for a few seconds, but then calmed down. "And now that he and Alfred have forgiven each other, I think, that possibility will be less likely to happen. And you know why? Because now we can all be friends, just like we were in middle school before eighth grade. Now…now we can all do fun things together, like go to each other's houses, or go to the mall, or even go to Disneyland and get those cute hats with mouse ears on them! Kiku won't be by himself anymore, and he won't be sad like he used to be for the past few years. He's going to be happy because he's going to be with people who want to hang out with him and do fun things on weekends and during the summer vacations." He smiled and looked at Yao. "So don't worry. We're going to protect Kiku okay? We won't let bad things happen to him. Right everyone?"

Alfred grinned. "Yes! Feli is right! Kiku from this point on, is going to become one of us!"

"Alfred," Arthur began. "First of all, Kiku isn't here. How do you expect him to be happier if he isn't even here with us?"

"Way to kill the mood Artie. But anyway, ignoring you stupidity-"

"Wh-!"

"I told Kiku yesterday that he should come to the cafeteria and join us during lunch! Except I don't see him…hmm…maybe he's not ready to join anybody yet…"

Matthew looked around and smiled. "No Alfred, he just walked in. He's seated at that table all the way over there." His twin pointed and Alfred looked to the back of the cafeteria. Sure enough, there was Kiku, sitting by himself at a lone table.

"He came! He really did!"

"Oh, but why is he sitting by himself all the way over there? We're over here!"

"Don't worry Feli, I'll handle this."

Alfred walked over to the back of the cafeteria where Kiku was sitting. He was eating his food timidly, trying to ignore the stares from curious students as to why he was by himself. He got even more stares when Alfred walked up to him. "Hey Kiku!"

Kiku looked up at him. "Oh, good afternoon Alfred-san."

The blonde sat down across from him. "I'm glad you decided to come to the cafeteria today! But uh, what are you doing sitting all the way over here?"

"Uhm…well…at first I didn't see you in here because of all the students, and Heracles-san's table was already full…so…I found an empty table here in the back, but it wasn't until that moment that I noticed you and your friends at a table. You were having such an intense conversation from the looks of things that I felt it'd be rude for me to just walk up to you and request to sit down…"

"Aww."

"What?"

"You're so cute!"

Kiku blushed. Not too many people told him that. "E-Excuse me?"

"Kiku, you wouldn't be interrupting. I was telling everybody at the table about how we're friends now, and we were actually talking about inviting you over to sit with us! None of them mind, and Feli is really excited. So I hereby invite you to The Table of Epicness!"

"Epicness?"

"Yeah! That's what I call our table. So come on!"

"Are you sure?"

"Yup!" Alfred got up. "I'll carry your tray if you'd like."

"N-No that won't be necessary. I'm capable of doing this myself." He took his tray and followed Alfred. Kiku still noticed a few stares, but the blonde oaf was oblivious to this and just smiled at everyone who looked at him, waving to a few people.

"Guys!" he said to his tablemates. "Look who's here!"

"Kikuuuuuuuuuu ~ !" shouted Feliciano. He got up and hugged him. "Oh yay! You're going to join us now! This is awesome because we actually have room for one more! It's like it was meant for you! Right Alfred?"

"Yeah! I like how you think Feli!"

"Hee hee! Yes!"

"Kiku, welcome to The Table of Epicness."

"The Table of Epicness?" Arthur raised an eyebrow. "You actually named our table?"

"Yup."

"When did this happen?"

"It's always been named!"

"No it hasn't. It was just a table."

"Well we've been sitting here ever since freshman year so it has a name. Now shut up!" he said with a smile, Arthur sporting a shocked expression in response to being told to shut his trap.

"So Kiku, sit down! You're now officially a member of the Epic table!" Alfred sat down and patted the seat next to him, shoving Arthur away a few centimeters. "You can sit next to me!"

"B-But…Arthur-san was sitting there just a few moments ago…"

"No Kiku, it's quite alright. You may sit there since I was just about to move because _some_ people are rather rude here."

"Well okay…" Kiku placed his tray next to Alfred's and sat down. He had never sat with a bunch of people before, so he felt a little out of place.

"Uwaaah, I wanna sit next to Kiku too!" Feliciano squeezed himself in between Arthur and Kiku. "Ludwig!"

"Why do I always have to sit next to you?"

"Because! And now that Kiku is here, the three of us should sit together okay?"

Ludwig sighed and walked over to Feliciano's new seat, excusing himself to Arthur who didn't care. The German sat next to his Italian friend who was just bubbling with joy. "Yay!"

Eventually all of them ended up switching seats. Arthur hated his new seat because now not only was he sitting next to Francis _still_, but also next to Ivan. The Russian was not affected by this at all since he was still sitting next to Yao. Matthew was glad Yao was to his right and Alfred to his left, because otherwise, he'd be a bit afraid to have to sit next to Ivan.

"Great!" Alfred said. "Okay, these are going to be our permanent seats from here until we graduate high school!"

Arthur looked at him. "Who said these were permanent?"

"Well for one thing, I want my bro to sit next to me and Kiku on my other side. Feli also wants to sit next to Kiku, and since he's close to Ludwig, obviously he's gonna want them to both sit next to him. Matthew likes Yao sitting next to him and so does Ivan, and of course Francis likes sitting next to you. Really, you're the only person who opposes this seating arrangement, so you're outvoted 8 to one. Therefore, it will be ignored."

Sometimes Arthur thought Alfred was a real jackass, but he never brought it up much because Alfred knew he thought this. "Whatever."

"Can we have colors now?"

"Sure Feli! I want red!"

"Okay, then I want yellow!"

"Colors?" asked Arthur. "What is this? Some kind of team?"

"Yes, the team of Epicness! Man you're really slow at this group thing. You can be bright green like your eyes."

Arthur's cheeks turned pink. "Really?"

"Yeah and also because trolls are sometimes that color, so since you like that stuff, and you act like one sometimes, I thought bright green should fit you."

The moment of fluff had ended as soon as Alfred finished that sentence, and Arthur became upset once again. Francis merely chuckled.

"Ludwig!" Feliciano tugged on his sweater again, lightly this time. "What color do you want?"

"It doesn't really matter to me."

"Oh, well what about green? Not light green, or lime green like Arthur, but just green. It's a nice color and I think it fits you really well!"

"Okay, then green it is."

Feliciano smiled.

"I want to be orange then," Yao said. "Alfred already claimed red for himself…"

"Then I want purple ~" Ivan added. "Because Feliciano took yellow, and I'd rather not fight for it. After all, it's just a color. But if it was a sunflower or something like that, then we might have a few problems on our hands. Heh heh!"

Feliciano cried on the inside. On the outside, he buried his face into Ludwig's shoulder. The German face-palmed. He really did wonder how he got stuck with people like these.

"Francis, what color do you want?" asked Alfred.

"Blue of course. It's such a wonderful color. The color of beauty ~"

"Okay then, you get blue! Matt! What color would you like?"

"Uhm…can I have white?"

"Why do you want white?"

"Because…it's the color of snow…and the color of fur on a polar bear…"

"Oh, sure then! You get white!" Alfred looked to his left. "Kiku! You're the last one to get a color. Which one would you like?"

Kiku thought for a moment and then said, "The color I…had wanted doesn't seem appropriate so I'll just get brown."

"Brown is a nice color, but it isn't as colorful as the rest of ours. Which was your first option?"

"No…it's very stupid…"

"Oh come on, don't say that. Just tell us!"

Kiku looked at his tray and a blush crept onto his cheeks. He said something, but it was a mumble so Alfred couldn't hear it.

"What was that? Sorry, I didn't hear what you said."

"…nk…"

"Still didn't hear. Come on Kiku, work with me."

"I would like to claim the color p-pink if that's alright with the rest of you."

For a moment nobody said anything but looked at Kiku with curiosity. He was feeling very uncomfortable. Pink was usually a girl color but he liked how pleasant it was to look at and how colorful it was. His blush only increased and he looked at his lap, avoiding the eyes of the rest of his tablemates.

Feliciano decided to break the silence noticing how out of place Kiku was feeling. "That's a nice color! Pink is great!"

Kiku looked at Feliciano timidly. "You don't think…it's strange…?"

"No, why would I think it's strange? Besides, it's just a color! It's soft on the eyes and great to look at!"

Alfred smiled. "Yeah he's right. If pink is the color you want, then pink it is! Just out of curiosity, why'd you want that color?"

"Because…I think…pink is a very cute color…and…I tend…I tend to be fond of cute things…"

The blonde laughed. "Well okay then! You'll get pink! And actually, that's the perfect color for you because you're always blushing!" He looked at the rest of his friends. "Okay guys, we have our official colors! Now we need a team name!"

"Hold on just a moment here," Arthur said. "Why are we even doing this? There is no point to it!"

"Have a little imagination! My God…" Alfred shook his head. "It's just for fun. Now as your leader-"

"Excuse me but I don't remember anybody appointing you as the leader."

"Red is the color of a leader so there. Stop interrupting. Like I was saying, as your leader, I have decided that no matter what happens, the nine of us will stick together from now until the end of time. Even if we go our separate ways in the future, we're always going to be friends okay? And we're always going to back each other up when one of us is in trouble, or when one of us asks for help. Yes, that's the code of The Table of Epicness!"

Feliciano laughed. "Okay, that sounds good! Hey, can we hold out our hands? You know, like they do in sports teams?"

"Sure thing! Wow Feli, you're full of great ideas today!"

"Thank you!"

_The only reason he's saying that is because Alfred is just as dense as Feliciano_, Arthur thought to himself.

They all put their right hand at the center of their table, though Kiku was a bit hesitant. "Come on Kiku," Alfred said. "Put your hand with the rest of ours."

"But…I feel that all of this is too sudden. I have just recently joined you all and-"

"That doesn't matter. It's not like you're a new person to us entirely. We've known you for a few years already. And we'll all get to know you better in the future. Really, it's fine!"

Kiku looked at him, Alfred merely smiling. Then he put his hand in the center as well.

"This is a sign that we're all in this together, for better or for worse. Okay?"

Everyone nodded.

Arthur chuckled. "You're being so dramatic about this, as if this was some kind of movie or something."

"Well it's not, and I'm serious. I really mean it you guys. I don't…I don't want us to ever have such serious problems between us again. From now on, we're going to put aside our differences and cooperate and be friends. Okay?"

Feliciano smiled. "Yes, I would like that a lot."

"Me too Al."

"Same here."

The rest nodded.

"Okay. Go Prime Nine!"

His friends just laughed at the cheesy name he gave his group, Kiku managing a small smile. Little did he know that this moment marked the beginning of the drastic change his life was about to take.

* * *

It was afterschool and that meant the twins had to go to baseball practice again.

"Hey Matt?"

"Yes?"

"Remember what coach told us?"

"About the team quantity?"

"Yeah. I think I have an idea." He closed his locker after taking out his duffle bag. He walked over to Kiku's locker. "Hey Kiku!"

"Oh, hello Alfred-san, Matthew-san."

"Hello Kiku."

"So, you doing anything after school today?"

"Uhm…no, I don't have any plans. I was just going to go home and do my homework, perhaps play some video games afterwards…"

"Wanna come to our baseball practice instead?"

"Huh?"

"We've noticed that sometimes you'd look longingly at the baseball field when we had gym class," Matthew said.

"Oh…"

"Would you like to play Kiku?"

"Uhm…well, I have always wanted to try it. But I never thought that I would be very good at-"

"Nonsense!" Alfred put his arm around Kiku. "Don't think like that. I'm sure you'll be great! Alright, it's final. You're coming to our practice."

"But-"

"No buts! Come on Matt, let's go before coach gets angry with us again!"

"Us? Coach only got angry with _you_ Al…"

Alfred pouted. Kiku smiled up at him, enjoying the twins' bickering as they walked to the baseball field.

"Is your coach…" asked Kiku after they exited the boy's locker room. "…very harsh?"

"Nah, coach is strict sometimes, but never harsh. When we have our games, whether we win or lose, we always go out for pizza afterwards!"

"Oh, I see."

"Don't worry Kiku, you'll do fine."

"Well, if you say so." He looked at his shirt. "Uhm, and also, thank you for lending me these workout clothes."

"It's no problem. Those were from my freshman year, but I grew out of them because, well as you can see, I've gotten really tall! Ha! So has Matt, so it didn't really matter which of our sets you wore. We grow the same every year, since ya know, we're twins and all."

"Yes, I have noticed."

Matthew gave a chuckle at Kiku's response to Alfred's obvious statement.

The three walked to the baseball diamond where the rest of the players were waiting for their coach to arrive.

Feliciano gasped. "Oh my God! Kikuuuuu!" He practically tackled him into a hug. "Yay you came to watch us practice!"

"Well actually Feliciano-kun, I came because…I wanted to…see if I was any good at baseball…"

The Italian gasped again. "Really? Well I'm sure you'll be great! Isn't that right Lovi?" Feliciano looked towards his older brother.

"Yep, I think Kiku should do well at this sport."

"Wow, now I can go home with somebody after practice! I won't be alone on the bus anymore!" Yong Soo said. "Ha! Kiku, I'll show you how it's done okay? Since you know, baseball originated in Korea!"

"No it didn't!" Alfred told him. "It originated in America! A lot of sports were created in this country!"

"Calm down Alfredo," Manuel told him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "He's just kidding."

"Manny, don't call me Alfredo. My name is Alfred."

"But Alfredo is my nickname for you!"

"That's not even a real name!"

"Yes it is. One of my uncles is named that."

"And it's the name of a pasta ~ !"

Alfred sighed. "Nevermind…"

Kiku looked at the players. There were the Vargas brothers both playing, his cousin Yong Soo, his classmate Manuel, and the Jones Twins. Then there were a few other people he wasn't too familiar with, but he had seen them around the school.

"So, where is your coach Alfred-san?"

"Coach will be here soon. Always likes to surprise-"

"Alright. Who's ready to practice? Games will be starting pretty soon so I want you all in tip top shape! Yong Soo, Matthew, come and help!"

Both of them ran to the person approaching and helped carry the equipment closer to where the players were gathered. Finally the coach had approached the team and said, "Well, looks like we're all accounted for. I don't even have to take roll. Hmm? You, the short one, who are you?"

"Uhm, I am Honda Kiku." He bowed. "I wanted to…"

"Try out?"

"Yes, because I wanted to see-"

"Great! We need another player!"

"Oh, okay. So, where is the coach?"

All of a sudden, it got deathly quiet, so quiet that you could hear the splashing of the swimmers inside the gym.

"Uhm…K-Kiku…" Lovino began. "Th…That IS the coach."

"It…is? But…I was sure the coach would be-"

"A male? Well I hate to break it to ya kid, but there hasn't been a male baseball coach in quite some time at this school."

"Oh…"

Kiku looked at the baseball coach. She was a bit dark and had a voluptuous body. Despite her appearance, her tone of voice wasn't light at all and was actually very assertive.

"I'm Coach Cruz." She held out her hand. "Nice to meet you Honda."

He shook her hand. "It's…nice to meet you too Cruz-sensei. Uhm, I sincerely apologize for assuming that the baseball coach would be a male…"

"That's alright. You're not the first kid to think that. Anyway, back to the main topic. You wanna try out for the baseball team here? We actually need another player!"

"Well I simply wanted to try it out to see if I was any good…"

"Listen to me Kiku, even if you _suck_ beyond words, that's all gonna change, because when I'm coaching, being a failure at the get go isn't important. I'll turn that little body of yours into a super star high school athlete's. Understand?"

"Yes…"

"Good. Hmm…you're really small. In fact, you're the shortest player on this team. Well, I guess it can't be helped. I'll put you on base to start off with. Have you ever played baseball before?"

"I know the basics of it…and I have played it in video games-"

"Well this is real life, not baseball. You kids need to get outside more and exercise! Why, when I came to this country, I didn't even _have_ the luxuries you all have today. But I don't fret over it. They're not important. Well, Honda, why don't we start with you first?"

"Alright."

"Now would you like to be called 'Honda' or 'Kiku'? I don't mind either one, but 'Honda' is what's gonna be on your jersey if you make the team. I'm just saying."

"Whichever you prefer Cruz-sensei. It doesn't matter to me."

"Alright then, Honda it is. I call all of my students by their last names anyway, except if they have the same one like the Jones twins over here. I have to call them Al and Matt instead. Messes up the flow here, so then I decided to call everyone by their first names but oh well. Okay guys, let's test Honda to see if he's any good."

Kiku was getting nervous. Even though Coach Cruz was in fact a woman, she sure didn't act like one. _I can see why Alfred-san doesn't like being late to practice…_

"Feli! You be the timer!"

"Okay!" She handed him a timer and then said, "Honda! Come here."

Kiku walked over a bit timidly to her. She smiled at him. "Now stop looking at your feet. And don't put your hands in front of you like that. It makes you look weak and vulnerable."

He flinched a bit at her response. _She is very blunt..._

"Alright Honda, this is what I want you to do. I want you to run to first base. Feli will time you." Feliciano waved from first base. "I want to see how good your speed is."

"Okay."

Kiku waited at the home base until he was told to go. "Alright, ready, set…go!"

He ran to the first base and Feliciano stopped the timer as soon as he reached it.

"How fast Feli?"

"Three seconds!"

"Holy crap that's fast! Well, guess you've got speed Honda! Looks like that small body of yours can be used to your advantage! Great, now we're gonna do some warm ups."

"Uhm…but don't you want to see me do other things?"

"I'll watch you warm up with the other guys. Al will be your instructor. Right Al?"

"Yes ma'am!"

"Okay, then I want you all to get into pairs since now we have an even number of players."

"This is great Kiku!" Alfred told him as he handed him an extra mitt. "Coach already likes you! Wow, I had to suck up a lot and play really hard for her to like me! Ha, poor Matt though. She'd get confused sometimes. She didn't know which one of us was which when we'd have our baseball caps or helmets on. When she was supposed to yell at me, she yelled at Matthew instead." He chuckled.

The pairs each began to throw the ball at each other, catching them with their mitts.

"Okay Kiku, I'm going to throw the ball now."

"Alright, I'm ready."

Alfred threw the ball to Kiku, but it was more like he shot it at him. Kiku dodged it. "Alfred-san!"

"What? Why didn't you catch the ball Kiku?"

"That was too fast!"

"But that's how I throw!"

"Cruz-sensei…" Kiku told her as she approached him. "May…I get somebody who throws a little…softer?"

"Nope."

"Huh?"

"You can't let Al intimidate you with his throw! He's the best pitcher I've had so far. He throws so fast and so hard that it's difficult for the other teams to hit the ball and the umpire usually has a sprained wrist at the end of a game. I wanted to make you face a challenge in the beginning so you know what you're up against."

"Oh…I see…"

"If you're gonna let a little pitch scare you off, then this isn't the sport for you. You're gonna get injured in every sport, some more than others. There is only one thing I guarantee to all of my players: you're _will_ get hurt one way or another. Sometimes you'll get hurt a lot, like Feli and Lovi, and sometimes you'll hardly get hurt at all, like Al and Manny. And then sometimes you'll just be a real klutz and hurt yourself like Matt."

"Coach!"

"Continue practicing with Yong Soo and don't get distracted Matt!" She looked at Kiku again. "Are you sure you want to do this Honda? It would be great if you could join our team because I see a lot of potential in you, but that's only if you're up for it. I don't want to force you into playing for us if you're not ready." That was the closest Kiku was going to get to feminine compassion from Coach Cruz.

"Yes…I'm positive. I…I want to play."

"Great! Then I expect you to be here every day after school until I tell you different! Al will be your practice buddy for a while since he's the captain and the best I have. Al, I want you to take care of this boy out there on the field okay? Turn him into a super star like the rest of your teammates!"

"Got it coach!"

"But…Cruz-sensei…"

"Yes?"

"I thought that…you'd teach me firsthand yourself…"

"Yeah well I still need to help out Feli, Lovi, and Matt. They're the klutzes of this team. I gotta make sure they get rid of that out on the field before we start having games. That's why I'm leaving it up to Al to teach you how to play. And don't be afraid of his pitch. I doubt he'll hit you somewhere sensitive, like he did with Matt. He hit him a few times in the crotch-"

"COACH!" Matthew blushed and Alfred merely laughed.

"—while they were practicing, but don't worry. I'm sure Al will be more careful now."

"Oh…well alright."

For the next hour or so, Kiku practiced throwing and catching from different distances and different speeds with Alfred. The American made sure to not hit Kiku in his family jewels like he usually did with Matthew.

* * *

"Great job boys!" Coach Cruz told them. "Excellent practice today! And kudos to you Honda! You just started today and already you're getting good. You're a pretty fast learner!" She ruffled his hair.

"Thank you Cruz-sensei. But Alfred-san had a lot to do with my improvement as well."

"Don't be so modest! I bet no matter who taught you, you'd still be great! Al's nothing special!"

Alfred made a face. "Uh Coach-"

"Well boys, I'll see you tomorrow for another practice! Sleep well tonight!"

The boys proceeded to the locker room to change, the older twin deciding to give up his protest.

"Alfred!"

He turned around. "Aksel! Hey how was soccer practice?"

"Pretty good. When we start having games, I'm gonna kick some ass out there!"

"Nice!"

"Mannyyyyyy ~ !"

The Mexican boy sighed heavily. "Here comes the embodiment of annoyance…"

Antonio hugged him from behind and buried his face into his hair.

"Get off me Antonio! You're all sweaty!"

"So are you, but that's okay!"

"You're dirty too! You're getting grass all over my socks!"

"And you're getting dirt all over my soccer jersey, but that's okay as well ~"

Manuel growled which didn't affect Antonio at all. Lovino could only glare with hidden jealousy.

"_Ay, que lindo estas Manuel ~_" He cuddled him.

Manuel blushed. "_Idiota! No digas cosas como esas!_"

"Alright break it up!" Lovino said as he practically ripped Antonio off of Manuel.

"Oh, are you jealous Lovi?" asked Antonio.

"Hell no! Why would I be jealous? I just saw Manny getting uncomfortable with your physical contact! I know how that feels, which is why I decided to save him!"

"Aww, it's okay Lovi. If you want a hug, all you have to do is ask!"

"Okay, come here Antonio."

"You really want a hug?"

"Yes." He smiled.

The Spaniard happily hugged Lovino, but then screamed.

"Thanks for the hug Toni. I feel a lot better now." Lovino said as he patted his back. He then went back to his gym locker.

Aksel walked up to Antonio.

"He…he gave me a wedgie…it really…it really hurts…!"

Aksel laughed. "You should have seen it coming Toni! Don't fall for things like that okay?"

"Serves you right _pendejo_," Manuel mumbled as he put on a clean shirt.

"Manny, why won't you love me?!"

"STOP SAYING WEIRD THINGS LIKE THAT IN HERE!"

Alfred cracked up. "Aww come on Manny, be nice to your cousin!"

"He's too affectionate! It always gives people the wrong idea when he does things like that to me out in public! That's why I don't like being seen with him! Already people think we have an incestuous relationship when we don't!" He glared daggers at Antonio. "And THAT is why I hate you Antonio Fernandez Carriedo."

Antonio just shooed him with his hand and went to his own locker. Kiku was starting to become amused with the comical scene he had just witnessed.

"Is it like this every day in here Alfred-san?" he asked the taller boy.

"Pretty much. That's why Manny ran over here today. He wanted to be the first one to change and get out so Antonio doesn't ambush him, but I think Toni already figured out this recurring pattern, so now it's ineffective. Ha!"

"Oh, I see. Is Manuel-san…"

"A homophobe?"

"Uhm…well…yes…"

"Nah, he isn't. If he was, he would cringe at the thought of being associated with Francis. He just doesn't like Antonio's affection. But I know that deep down, he longs for it. I'm pretty sure when they're alone at home, he doesn't mind it."

"I heard that Alfredo."

"Every time you call me that, I'm gonna tell Toni to hug you."

"Oh can I do it now?"

"Sure Toni!"

Antonio practically darted over to Manuel and tackled him. He blushed again. "DAMN IT ANTONIO! You don't have a shirt on! And I'm trying to change my pants! Do you know how suggestive this looks?!"

"Oh but it's okay. It's not like this isn't normal during this time of day ~" He cuddled him again. "Besides, you should be used to it by now!"

Kiku blushed at the scene before him this time, and instead of watching and laughing like the rest of the guys (minus Lovino who had decided to teach Antonio a lesson again), he hid his pink face and continued to change out of his clothes.

"Hey, what's all the commotion about?"

Kiku turned beet red when he heard that voice.

"Heracles!" Alfred said. "Hey there! How was soccer practice?"

"Pretty good. I think I'm getting better."

"That's great. Can't wait to watch your first game!"

"Thanks Alfred." He noticed somebody small next to him. "Oh, hello Kiku. I didn't know you were in a sport."

Kiku's heart was beating so fast he felt like it was going to shoot out of his chest. "Y-Y-Yes I am now in b-baseball because I-I had w-wanted to try out a-and…" He hurriedly put on his clean shirt, hoping it would hide his blushing face.

"That's good Kiku. I always thought you'd be good at something like baseball. I'll be cheering for you from the sidelines and when I'm practicing out on the soccer field."

"Th-Thank you Heracles-san…"

The Grecian walked over to his locker which just so happened to be right next to Alfred's. He changed out of his shirt, taking his sweet time, as was his way, but this of course made Kiku uncomfortable yet again. He found himself staring at his classmate, noticing his tanned body and all the muscles embedded on it. He gasped and reached for his backpack and books.

"Kiku? What's wrong?" asked Alfred.

"I-I-I just remembered that I forgot s-something in my locker. I must retrieve it before the building closes. I-I will see you tomorrow Alfred-san." He rushed out of the locker room, his face still quite red.

"Hey Kiku! Wait for me! Don't run so fast!" Yong Soo shouted. "I'll see you all tomorrow!" He waved as his fellow athletes gave him their goodbyes.

"What up with Kiku?" asked Heracles.

Alfred shrugged. "Wish I knew."

* * *

Kiku reached the front of the school and panted, out of breath from running so quickly. "I…I managed to get out of there…"

"Kiku!"

He turned around and found Yong Soo running towards him. "What happened back there? You left so suddenly."

"I-I needed to get something from my locker."

"Oh okay. Were you able to?"

"No…the building was…uhm…closed."

"Ah. Well, we better head for the bus stop. Don't wanna miss it!"

The two waited at the bus stop and when it came they promptly went inside. The two sat down in the front of the bus, resting while it took them to their neighborhood block.

"So how did you like baseball?"

"It was…interesting. I had fun."

"That's nice. Are you gonna stick with us?"

"Uhm…w-well I'm not sure…"

"Oh come on! You're really good at it! I think you should."

"Okay…then I guess…I'll also attend tomorrow…"

"Great! Hope you weren't disturbed by the scene at the locker room."

Kiku became nervous and defensive. "What? Why would you think I'd be disturbed?!"

"Geez calm down! I didn't mean anything bad by it! I was just saying…I mean, this is your first time with the athletes and everybody behaves the same every day in there, you know, with Manny and his pseudo hatred for Toni, Lovino's abusive ways, and Aksel and Alfred just laughing…Heracles lagging it and always being the last one inside…this is how it is every day for those of us who stay afterschool for sports. Just wanted to let you know what you got yourself in to that way you won't be surprised by it."

"Oh…I see. Thank you for telling me Yong Soo-kun, though it _is_ a bit late…"

"You'll get used to it."

The two relatives stood quiet for most of the bus ride home. But of course, Yong Soo being himself, couldn't sit still or be quiet for long periods of time. "Hey Kiku."

"Yes Yong Soo-kun?"

"If…if you ever wanna talk about something…I'm here for you."

Kiku turned to him curiously. "Where did this come from?"

"Nowhere. I just want you to know that…if you ever need to talk about something, no matter what it is, you can come and talk to me and I'll help you." He looked seriously at him. "I know Yao is the oldest out of all of us…but…I just want you to know that he isn't the only person you can talk to about serious matters. I'm here for you too, okay Kiku?"

The Japanese boy looked at his cousin, a bit of admiration in his eyes. "Well, thank you Yong Soo-kun."

"It's no problem." He smiled at him and put a hand on his shoulder. "I know it's been hard for you growing up without…well biological parents in a country that isn't your motherland but…you have family here, and we'll take care of you alright?"

Kiku smiled back at him. "Thank you. That means…that really means a lot to me."

Yong Soo gave a toothy grin. "No problem! Oh, here's our bus stop. Let's go! I hope mom already started dinner!" Though Chun-Yan wasn't Yong Soo's birth mother, she was like a mother to him, which is why he called her "mom". She didn't mind of course. She rather liked the idea.

"We're home!" Yong Soo shouted as he opened the front door.

"Oh there you boys are!" Chun-Yan said. "Yao was getting worr-"

"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!"

He walked angrily towards Yong Soo.

"Uhm…at baseball practice? You know I have-"

"No not you! I know where you're at after school! I was talking to Kiku!" He put his hands on his small cousin's shoulders. "Kiku! Are you okay?!"

Kiku blinked. "Yes Yao-san. I'm not in any troubled condition. Why were you so worried?"

"Because I didn't see you on the school bus after school! I tried calling you on your cell phone, but you didn't pick up!"

"Oh, I apologize. I was at baseball practice with Alfred-san and the others."

"Baseball practice?"

"Yeah!" Yong Soo intervened. "Kiku's officially on the baseball team! Isn't that great?"

"So soon? I thought you needed to wait a few weeks until the coach-"

"Coach gets desperate sometimes but she said she saw a lot of potential in Kiku, so now he's an athlete, just like his big brother!" He put an arm around Kiku's shoulders.

"Yong Soo, you are NOT his big brother. You're the third youngest in this family of five siblings."

"No I'm not!"

"Yes you are! I'm the eldest, Kiku is the second eldest, you're the middle child, Li is the older fraternal twin, and Mei is the younger fraternal twin."

"That's a lie!"

"Want me to dig up our birth certificates?"

"They were printed in Korea!"

"Aiya! Stop it with your Korean nonsense already!"

Mei giggled and Li cracked a smile. Chun-Yan laughed and said, "Okay, it's time for dinner! Enough you two."

Kiku smiled and though he wasn't very close to his family yet, he would try to spend more time with them to get to know them better. Little did he know, those he would consider to be his family would extend well beyond the Wang household very soon.

* * *

"So Manny, what made you decide to come have dinner with us tonight?" asked Emily.

"Antonio." He grumpily ate the mashed potatoes. Emily had brought home KFC since yet again she was tired from work.

"Oh, really?"

"Yes. He all of a sudden decided it would be a GREAT idea to have dinner with my sisters and parents. But I sure fooled him. He thinks I'm still in the restroom."

"Manny," Alfred began. "How did you get out of the restroom if it's on the second floor?"

"I climbed out the window and used the towels as a rope."

"You can fit?"

"I'm skinner than you okay?"

"Are you calling me _fat_?"

"No!"

"Look, I'm not fat! It's muscle okay!"

Manuel laughed. "Sure Alfred."

"It is!"

Matthew chuckled along with Emily. "Sweetie, he's only kidding."

Alfred grumbled and viciously bit into the chicken drumstick. Matthew shook his head in amusement.

"So how was school today boys?"

"Oh it was great!" Alfred told her with food in his mouth. "Kiku's on the baseball team now."

"Really?"

"Yup! Coach said she saw a lot of potential in him, so how he's on our team!"

"That's wonderful! Oh, this means I'll get to see him now when I go to your games! Is he cute?"

"Mom, how would I know? I'm a guy."

"Guys can still think other men are attractive. That doesn't necessarily mean they're gay or anything."

"Yeah I know. But I guess I've never really paid attention to people's looks in depth a lot. Like Manny is a mop head but you don't hear me saying it out loud."

"Hey! Don't call me a mop head, fattie!"

"It's _muscle_!"

"_Gordo!_"

"Mop head!"

Matthew sighed and Emily just laughed. "Oh Manny, I think your hair is nice! It looks like very healthy hair, and it's so soft!"

"Ah! Thank you very much senora!" He smiled. "It's not at all like Antonio's stupid semi-curly hair…dumb curls…they're only a hassle anyway…"

"Manny, when will you stop being mean to Antonio? He is a very pleasant young man!"

"It's like he's got this incestuous thing going on with me! I'm not creeped out by it since I see Yong Soo do it all the time with his siblings, but it just gets annoying! Calling me cute and petting me…then cuddling me and hugging me in public… I'm not a baby!"

Emily chuckled. "But he seems to adore you."

"I wouldn't mind it if he didn't do it so often…ay Dios…"

Emily ruffled his hair and Manuel smiled at her. "Anyway, thanks for letting me stay here while Antonio lurks around at my house."

"You're welcome. Mi casa es tu casa!"

Manuel laughed at Emily's shot at Spanish. "_Gracias._"

The four continued to eat with occasional conversation, the dogs begging beneath the table. Alfred enjoyed times like these. It was in his home where he felt safe and comfortable. Just another normal day in his life. At least, it was normal for the moment, because things were about to get hectic for him in the following weeks that were slowly approaching, and were also going to get hectic for his new Asian friend.

* * *

A/N: Excuse me and my fail writing again. I haven't had Spanish class in almost two months so if my Spanish is a bit off...sorry everyone. OTL Anyway, here are the translations:

_Ay, que lindo estas Manuel ~_ = Oh, how cute you are Manuel ~

_Idiota! No digas cosas como esas!_ = Idiot! Don't say things like that!

Manuel doesn't really hate Toni as much as he says he does. There will be more positive moments with them in this story later. And yeah...I was tempted to write more Spain x Mexico, because even though Mexico vaguely exists in canon, I still ship this, but Manny is an OC and this story is supposed to focus on other pairings, especially Ameripan. I'm a very pathetic person. OTL

Also, Coach Cruz is basically gender-bended Cuba. LOL. I've seen pictures of her on Pixiv and she's a very attractive-looking woman. She also seems very spunky, so I made her the baseball coach. And yes, part of my inspiration was from the anime _Big Windup!_ but I still need to finish it. I really should get on that so I know more about baseball for future reference... *pathetic* OTL The base thing was an actual exercise I had to do when I tried out for softball. Of course...me being the nonathletic person I am didn't make the team. And I'm pretty sure 3 seconds is hella fast...yeah...cuz I took longer than that to reach the next base. xD Yeah...shutting up about that now...

Anyway, I think this story will be updated more frequently than my other ones, though that's...really something I _shouldn't_ be doing...

Finally: FIFA World Cup. I actually watched some of the matches, even though I'm not really that into sports-related things. France vs. Mexico was the most recent one I saw. YES. MEXICO WON. WHOO! Sorry Francis. You're a cool guy and all, but Manny is mah man ~


	6. Truth Revealed

A/N: Here is an extra long (kind of) chapter for all of you wonderful readers and reviewers! This is also one of the major plot points in my story, which I guess why it's long. Idk. Damian is being an ass, his usual behavior, nothing new. So as always, you have been warned of him.

* * *

Chapter 6: Truth Revealed

Alfred had been wondering why Kiku had been leaving the boy's locker room so quickly after baseball practice. He had asked him why and Kiku always told him the same thing: "I forgot something in my hallway locker."

But Alfred thought that sounded a bit strange since he knew Kiku wasn't the kind of guy to forget his textbooks in his locker. He was very diligent with his studies. But, Alfred not wanting to become a nuisance, decided to not bug him about it further and left it at that.

"Hey Kiku!" said Alfred as he followed his small friend to the locker room after practice. "Wait up!"

"Yes Alfred-san?"

"Do you have anything to do today after?"

"Actually, yes."

"Really?"

He nodded. "Alfred-san, if you are still wondering why I leave the locker room so early, it's because I have found myself a job and so I cannot be late, otherwise my boss will get extremely upset with me and I do not want that." Of course, that was really only half of the story since the other half involved Heracles.

"Oh, I see. Why were you hiding it then? Getting a job isn't a bad thing. Hell, I want a job! I think during the summer I'm gonna try to apply for a job at the movies so I can get discounts! Summer movies are the best!"

Kiku smiled at him. "That sounds like a nice occupation for the summer."

"Yeah but it's still a few months away… It's still winter…" He sighed. "I don't really like February because the weather outside is still kinda cold…"

"Oh, well don't worry Alfred-san. This month will pass by before you know it."

"Yeah, guess you're right."

Kiku proceeded to his locker and quickly changed, Alfred not bothering to catch up with him. "Done already Kiku?"

"Yes. Like I said, I must get going."

"Oh, well okay. Guess I'll see you tomorrow then! Later!"

"Goodbye Alfred-san." He gave a small bow and then walked out of the locker room, just as the other athletes were starting to pile into the area.

"Hey, Alfredo, why did Kiku leave so suddenly?" asked Manuel.

"He got a job so he can't be late for it. And don't call me Alfredo!"

A certain Spaniard's ears perked. "Alfredo? Did Manny call you that again?"

"Yeah, and you know what _that_ means!"

"Mannnnny ~ !"

"Damn I forgot about that!"

Alfred laughed as his friend was being cuddled to death by his older cousin.

* * *

Toris sighed as he walked out of the building. He didn't like that Feliks kept forgetting the homework assignments. That guy really needed to be more responsible.

"Oh, Toris!"

The Lithuanian happily turned around at the voice. "Oh, Alfred! Hello!"

"Hey there! What are you doing here after school so late?"

"I needed to go to the library for some books for my homework. Plus, Feliks wanted me to get some for him since he needed to be somewhere…"

"Really? Like a doctor's appointment or something?"

"No. Apparently there was a sale at the mall that starts at five so he had to be there otherwise he'd throw a fit if he missed it."

Alfred laughed. "Good ol' Feliks. Say, since you're here, do you want to go to the mall to find him?"

"Why would you want to do that?"

"Well, you need to give him the books right? And you guys are like best friends so you should know exactly where he is at the mall!"

"Oh, I guess so. But how are we going to get there?"

"By bus of course!"

"Alfred!" Matthew said as he finally caught up with him. Manuel wasn't too far behind, the main reason being he wanted to get as far away from Antonio as possible. "Mom just called and said she's working late tonight so she won't be able to come and get us…"

"Oh that's okay. We were going to the mall anyway!"

"We…were?"

"Yeah!"

"Really Alfred," Toris began shyly. "You don't have to go through all this trouble…"

"But it's no trouble at all! I haven't been to the mall in a while anyway. So what do you say Matt? Wanna go?"

"I need to call mom first…"

"She won't mind."

"But I still want to let her know."

"Okay then, call her I guess. Say Manny, wanna tag along?"

"My mom expects me to be home so-"

"Such a momma's boy…"

"I am not! And _you_ shouldn't be talking!" Manuel huffed. "Fine! I'll go to the mall too! Plus, I think Antonio might come over again and I don't wanna be near him…"

"Then it's settled! We're all going to the mall!"

The bus ride was pretty quick so the four didn't spend a lot of time on the vehicle. Manuel however, took that small amount of time to call his mother, because seriously, he _was_ a momma's boy, though in that sense, he wasn't any different from Alfred or Matthew.

"So Toris," Alfred began as they walked through the mall doors. "Which store is Feliks in?"

"He could be anywhere since he had told me three stores were having sales, but he never specified."

"Guess we'll have to split up!" His gaze suddenly turned to the food court and he looked at it longingly like a puppy wanting a chew toy. Toris noticed and smiled.

"You know Alfred, Feliks takes a while to shop in just one store. And he usually spends hours at the mall, so if you want, we can always eat first."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Yay! Hey Matt, wanna eat something?"

"Oh, I guess, since mom won't be making dinner."

"What did you have in mind to eat Alfred?" asked Manuel.

"Hmm. Oh! I know! There's a McDonald's in the food court!"

"That place again? Why do you like it so much?"

"They have good food!"

"That is fattening and will give you a heart attack."

"Pfft. You're one to talk about food like that since a lot of the food you eat is fattening too."

"It's homemade at least, okay? And it's not my fault Mexican food is like that! Besides, you like eating it too…"

"I never said I didn't."

After Matthew stopped their arguing, the four went to the food court to the McDonald's, otherwise Alfred would complain for the rest of the evening.

"So, what do you guys want?" asked Alfred.

"Ah…uhm…maybe I'll get the chicken strips…because those seem to be the healthiest things on here…" Matthew said.

"I think I'll get the same as Matthew." Toris looked at the menu. "Yes, I think I will. None of these other things look very…life-prolonging. Uhm, not that they don't taste good though!" He added the last part quickly so as not to hurt Alfred's feelings.

"Nah, that's okay Toris. You like what you like."

"Hey! Why are you so nice to him but not me?"

"Manny, don't complain! Just tell me what you want already so I can order for us!"

The boy groaned. "I don't know. But I'm not getting a snack wrap because that's an insult to burritos in my personal opinion. What are you getting?"

"The Big Mac of course!"

"Eh, guess I'll get the double cheeseburger then…"

"Alright!"

Alfred walked up to the register.

"Hello, welcome to McDon—Alfred…san?"

"Kiku! You work here? At _McDonald's_?" He was actually very shocked. He was sure Kiku would work somewhere a little more…Asian and authentic. Like Yoshinoya or something.

"Ah…uhm…yes. It was the only place that offered a job near home so I decided to take it."

"So you have the night shift?"

"Pretty much, yes. But, it's not very late into the night, so it's fine."

"Wow, that kinda sucks. Especially since you just got out of baseball practice. Don't you get tired?"

"Not really. I'm used to it by this point."

"Honda!" yelled the manager. "No chitchatting with the customers! Do it on your break!"

"Y-Yes! I'm very sorry!" Kiku getting flustered, turned back to Alfred. That's when the other three noticed him.

"Kiku? You work here?" asked Matthew.

"Uhm, y-yes. But I cannot stop to talk because I'm not on my break. Please, make your order."

"Alright." Alfred looked at the menu one last time. "Okay so…we're gonna have one Big Mac, two orders of those chicken things, and then…a double cheese burger."

Kiku pressed the appropriate buttons on the register. "Okay, is that all?"

"Mm. Oh, and five orders of apple pies."

"What? That many?"

"Well yeah! I love apple pie!"

Kiku was sure he'd at least share them with the other three. "Uhm…alright then. Will that be for here or to go?"

"Here!"

Kiku finished inputting the order and then said, "Your total will be $30.43"

"Wow that's a lot!" He took out his wallet. "Eh…I only have $20 on me…hey Matt!"

"Yes?"

"Have an extra ten?"

"Alfred…I'm not paying!"

"I'm paying for most of it anyway! I'll pay you back later!"

Matthew frowned but took out his wallet and gave Alfred the money. "Only because you're my brother…"

"And I couldn't have asked for a better one!" He smiled thankfully at him, making his younger twin blush a bit. The blonde then searched his pocket for change and gave the money to Kiku. "There you go!"

Kiku put it in the register and then handed Alfred the receipt. "Thank you, and please enjoy your meal."

Alfred smiled at him. "Ha ha! Thanks! Well, we're gonna go sit down okay?"

"Oh, yes, alright."

The four found a table near the back of the McDonald's area and waited until their order was completed. Toris heard a chime from his phone and looked at it. "Oh, it's a text message from Feliks." He opened it and sighed, but smiled. "He said he managed to get to the sale on time to one of the stores, and he's gonna try to make it to the other ones if possible."

"Text him and tell him you're here to give him his books."

"Oh, okay. Should I ask him where he's at?"

"No, just tell him we're at the food court."

Toris responded with what Alfred had said and then sent the message. "Okay. This will give us time to eat then."

Alfred looked at the counter and saw that their tray of food was ready. He got up and walked over to it.

"Here you go Alfred-san."

"Thanks Kiku!" He took the tray in his hands. "Hey, when are you off?"

"Well…around eight forty-five."

"Oh, I see. Is your boss pretty lenient with you?"

"Sometimes. I told him I have sports after school so he cuts me some slack if I'm tardy."

"That's good." It was quiet for a moment.

"Well, I must be getting back to work. Enjoy your meal."

"Okay. Guess I'll see you tomorrow at school then!"

Kiku nodded and returned to the register.

Alfred walked over to his table and set the food down. "I wanna get a job so bad…"

"Why don't you?" asked Manuel.

"Mom says that I'll get distracted and I'll be more concentrated on earning money than my schoolwork…"

"And _I'm_ the momma's boy?"

"You know what?! Just shut up Manny!"

The Mexican boy laughed at his friend, and Alfred couldn't help but crack a smile too. The four ate their meal contently, Alfred devouring everything in front of him.

"Are you at least going to share those pies?" asked Matthew. "I mean…you're not gonna eat them all yourself right?"

"'Course not! What kind of guy do you think I am? Sharing is caring!" He gave Toris a pie. "There you go!"

"Oh, thank you Alfred!"

Matthew frowned. "I still exist you know..."

"Oh, there you guys are!"

The four turned around in their seats and saw Feliks walking towards them. "Like, it is such a surprise to see you here!"

"Feliks, next time don't run off so suddenly!"

"But Tor, the sale was only for a day, and I couldn't miss it!"

"Yes, but you forgot that you needed to check out books for your homework assignment!"

Feliks pouted. "I could have always done it tomorrow. It's not due until like, next week."

Toris sighed. "I guess. Anyway, I checked out some books for you to use, but please don't lose them. They're under my name and I don't want to have to pay for them."

"Oh you totally have nothing to worry about Tor. I'll take good care of them! What a pal! Isn't he Freddy?"

Alfred laughed. "Sure is! Hey, wanna sit with us? I have a few extra pies left!"

"Oh sure!" He scooted in next to Toris. "I wanted something sweet to eat anyway."

"So," began Manuel. "What did you want to buy Feliks?"

"Hmm. Well, they were having a sale on shoes so obviously I had to get them, but like, there were also these cute shirts I just had to have! So it was a pretty hard decision since the sales were at like the same time. In the end though, I decided to go with the shirts, because I figured they'd be more useful in the long run."

"Oh I see."

Feliks began to eat his pie when he noticed the counter. "Oh hey! I didn't know Kiku worked here!"

"I know right? I just found out today myself!"

"That's totally awesome. I think I'm gonna get a job later too. Yeah."

The five friends suddenly heard a few loud voices walk into the food court. Matthew looked over his brother's shoulder and frowned. "What horrible timing…"

Alfred turned around and saw the person who despised him the most. "Ugh…I can't believe _he's_ here." He glanced at where Kiku was at. "Oh God…don't tell me…"

Damian and his two friends walked to the counter. "Man I'm hungry! Let's see. What should I get? Do you guys want anything?"

"Nah man, I'm not starving or anything."

"Alright. Guess I'll just get something for myself."

Kiku gasped and walked away from his register, but he bumped into his manager.

"Honda, where are you going?"

"Uhm, I need to use the restroom."

The man frowned. "Sorry, right now it's out of order. And Larry just went home since he wasn't feeling well so I can't afford to lose another employee today. We have customers over there. Look."

He pointed to Damian who was waiting to be served.

"B-but please…sir…"

"Honda, the faster you do this, the faster you can get this over with. Why don't you want to serve them anyway?"

"It is…oh…oh okay…" Kiku walked back to his register and gulped, but gained all the courage he could and walked up to the counter. "Hello, welcome to McDonald's. May I take your order?"

Damian looked down at him. "Are you serious…"

Kiku said nothing.

"Man, and just when this day was going great for me too! Ugh, I had to see the Jap again…"

"Please, stop using that word."

"I can say it if I want. It's my mouth."

"Just make your order please. Other people are waiting. You're not the only one in line."

"What was that?"

Kiku bit his lip. He really did try to stand up for himself. He hated being picked on and pushed around.

"You…you heard me."

Damian grabbed him by the collar of his shirt. "You better stop talking back to me you little shit, otherwise there's gonna be trouble for you."

"Hey!"

Damian turned around.

"Other people are waiting in this line okay? Hurry the hell up and make your order!"

The jock let go of Kiku and smirked. "Hey what do we have here! If it isn't Mr. Universe!"

"Are you finished Damian? I need to make an order and you're holding up the line."

"It's such a coincidence that you're always near when there are other nationalities present."

"Get with the program moron. This is America. _Everybody_ is always surrounded by other nationalities."

Damian's eye twitched. "Jones, I swear-"

"Is there a problem?" asked the manager.

"Yeah, your little employee here refuses to take my order."

Kiku looked up at his manager with big worried eyes and shook his head. He didn't want to get fired, especially over a lie. "That is not true Thompson-san! I would never refuse service to anybody unless I was told to do so!"

"That guy is lying. He just doesn't want to get the boot!"

Mr. Thompson turned to Damian. "I'll take your order for you." He stood in front of Kiku's register. "What do you want?"

"Hmm…I want an Angus deluxe…with a large coke. It's to go."

"Alright." He rung up the price and Damian paid. "Your order will be ready soon."

"Thanks!" Damian waited off to the side with his friends, and Alfred was the next one at the counter for Kiku's register. He saw the small boy standing behind Mr. Thompson, his gaze facing downwards in disappointment in himself.

"Excuse me, sir?"

"Yes?"

"You were…aware of what happened just now, right?"

"Why do you think I took that kid's order instead of having Honda do it?"

"Oh…okay."

"Are you a friend of Honda's?"

"Yes, I am."

"I see." He turned to Kiku. "Don't get so worried over nothing. I'm not going to take that kid's word over yours. I know you're an honest person even though you've only been working here for a few weeks. You won't get fired Kiku."

That was the first time Kiku heard his boss use his first name. "Th-Thank you so very much Thompson-san." He bowed. "I really appreciate it."

"Hey, as long as you do your job and I don't get any complaints from anyone, you're going to remain an employee here until you decide to quit or something, okay?"

Kiku smiled. "Yes, I understand."

"Good." Another employee had brought Damian's order. "Order number seventy-six is ready!"

Damian walked up to the counter and Mr. Thompson handed him the bag. "There you go. Thank you for coming."

"Thanks for serving me! Unlike incompetent people I seem to know." He looked at Kiku who turned away from him.

"Now please leave. There are other people waiting in line."

Damian raised an eyebrow at him and then frowned. "I just found _another_ one…" He scoffed and then left with his friends.

"What in the world is wrong with that child?"

Alfred shook his head. "He doesn't like people who aren't fully American according to his standards."

"Well he's gonna have to get used to it if he wants to continue to live in this country. And he really can't live anywhere else, so I don't know why he just doesn't deal with it."

Alfred laughed. "Exactly what I was thinking!"

"Anyway," he said turning to Kiku. "Keep up the good work Honda."

"Oh, okay."

Mr. Thompson left back to his office to go do some paper work and call his wife to see if she had any leftovers from dinner.

"Uhm, do you want to order anything else Alfred-san?"

"No, I'm fine. I was just going to leave with the others right now. But I did want to give you this." He handed him a piece of paper from his notebook.

"Oh," Kiku took it. "What is it?"

"It's my cell phone number. If you ever need anything, don't hesitate to call me okay?"

"Oh, alright. I will make sure to add it to my phone."

"Good. Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow at school!"

"Oh, okay. Good night Alfred-san."

"Night Kiku!"

* * *

The public bus first dropped off Toris and Feliks on a block not too far away from the block where Alfred lived, so he didn't have to worry about them getting home safely. He walked down the street of his block with his twin and Manuel. The Mexican boy said goodnight to them as he entered his house, the twins opening the door to their own residence, their mother already inside.

She was sitting on the couch eating donuts. "Oh, hello boys!"

"Hey mom!"

"Hello mom."

"Did you have fun at the mall?"

"Yeah, we found Feliks. And guess what? Kiku works there!"

"Really? Wow! What does he do?"

"He's a cashier at the McDonald's in the food court."

"Really? Well that's something different!"

"Yep. I gave him my number at last."

"Oh?"

"Yeah…" Alfred then told him the story of what had happened at the McDonald's. Emily frowned and sighed.

"Well, I'm glad you gave Kiku your number then. If that school of yours doesn't do something about this Damian kid, I'm gonna have to march right up there myself and demand him to be removed!"

"I don't know if you can do that mom," Matthew told her. "I mean, Damian hasn't really done anything to Al. I think the only way you can complain is if you were Kiku's parent or guardian."

"Aww…"

Hero stretched from his sleeping place under the dining room table and walked over to Alfred, nudging his hand for a petting spree. The boy laughed and crouched down to pet his dog. Maple walked over too. "Hey Matt, have you noticed that when they lay down next to each other, those big brown spots on their back almost look like North America together?"

"Hmm...actually, yeah they kinda do. That's weird!"

"Okay boys, it's off to bed for you two!"

"So soon?"

"You still have school tomorrow Alfred."

"Man…"

* * *

Kiku walked away from the boy's locker room to the front of the school. He really needed to get to work. He was already late as it was, but he had been trying to come up with a great poem; a haiku for Valentine's Day. It was next week and he had wanted to perhaps tell Heracles how he felt about him, but he didn't know how he'd handle it.

"Maybe I shouldn't say anything…I mean, then everyone will find out about…my sexual preference and I wouldn't want Heracles-san to be the victim of bullying or anything like that…"

He sighed. He really was in a bind, but he decided to not think about it further. "I should probably give some chocolates to Feliciano-kun and Ludwig-san. I have done that every year since I've known them so maybe I should continue to do so. I wonder…should I give some chocolates to Alfred-san as well? I know he loves chocolate and practically anything sweet…" He shook his head. "No…then he'll think it's strange since it's coming from a guy and not a girl. Maybe…I should wait until we're better friends so he isn't surprised at an action like that coming from me…"

Kiku's train of thought was lost when he tripped over something. "Ow…what was-"

"You should be careful you little shit."

The Japanese boy inwardly shuddered. "Damian…"

"Watch where you're walking."

Kiku ignored him and got up, hurriedly heading towards the building door to the front of the school. He heard Damian say to one of his friends, "I think I'm up for some burgers again at the mall guys."

The small boy knew he was referring to McDonald's, where he worked. "He's going to try and pick on me again…but I can't miss work! What to do…"

On the bus ride to the mall, Kiku thought about what he'd be able to do. He knew Damian couldn't do anything to him while he was working because Mr. Thompson would know and then he'd have Damian kicked out. Security would have to get involved and then Damian probably wouldn't be allowed back in the mall, and Kiku was sure the boy wouldn't want that. But there was no telling what he'd do to him after his shift was done.

"Really, what on earth have I done to him to make him so bitter towards me? I've never even talked to him before on a personal basis, and he didn't attend the same middle school. I wish I knew the reason…"

For a long while, even as he was working, Kiku was curious for his answer. But if he asked Damian bluntly, he'd probably just get beaten or something and he definitely didn't want that.

"Honda?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you paying attention to what you're doing?"

Kiku had overfilled the cup with a smoothie. "Ah! I'm terribly sorry! Please forgive me Thompson-san!"

"Don't get so worked up about it! Just make sure you don't do it again!" He gave the customer the proper amount in a new cup. "But it looks like something's bothering you. You sure you don't want a break?"

"No. I don't have a long shift, so no breaks are necessary. Thank you though."

"Well alright then."

Kiku was glad his shift was almost over. He could finally go home. He really needed a shower, or better yet, a hot bath. He liked taking them when he was stressed, and now was a better time than any for one.

The clock struck nine, and Kiku sighed out of relief. "Okay, I guess I'll be heading home now Thompson-san."

"Alright, be careful Honda. See you tomorrow."

"Good night."

"Night."

Kiku walked out of the mall with his back pack and duffle bag of baseball utilities. He still had his McDonald's uniform on. He never took it off until he arrived home. He heard some voices and turned around. He saw Damian and two of his friends walking towards the mall's entrance. Kiku's eyes widened. The bus wouldn't come for another five minutes and a lot could happen within that time span. _Why…why now? It's so late at night…no! Do not think that way Kiku! How do you even know he's after you? What if he just wanted something to do with his friends? It is Friday after all. Yes, I'm just paranoid. That must be it…_

There was a honk of a car horn and Kiku jumped. The noise startled him but the voice that followed was very comforting to hear.

"Hey Kiku!"

"Alfred-san? What are you doing here?"

"I thought you might need a ride home."

"How did you even know I got out at this time?"

"Well you told me yesterday you got out at eight forty-five. Plus, I asked Yao. He was really happy that I didn't mind picking you up and taking you home. He really does worry about you ya know."

"Yes, I know…"

"Well come on, hop in!"

Kiku got into the navy blue car on the passenger's side after putting his things in the backseat. He really was relieved Alfred came when he did. Kiku could have sworn he saw Damian frown from the rear view mirror, but that was probably him being paranoid again.

"Thank you Alfred-san," he told the blonde. "I really appreciate this. I'm sorry if I caused you any trouble."

"Aww, you're welcome! And dude, it's no trouble at all! Really!"

"Oh, okay. Uhm, may I ask something?"

"Sure!"

"Do you have a license? Because from what I know, you need to be eighteen years of age in the state of California to have a license."

"Well, I have a permit."

"But you need a parent or guardian with you."

Alfred stood quiet. "Hey, I have never crashed contrary to popular belief!" He pouted.

Kiku gave a giggle. "I believe you Alfred-san."

"Besides, I only need to wait one more year until I'm eighteen!"

"But, you're sixteen right now, correct?"

"Yeah but I'll turn seventeen in July, and then eighteen next year in July! Say, speaking of birthdays, when is yours?"

"Oh…it is February eleventh."

"Wow! Just one day before Antonio's! That's cool."

"Thank you…?"

"Yeah, and it's three days before Valentine's Day!" He paused. "Oh crap…Valentine's Day is next week isn't it?"

"Yes, it is."

"Man! What am I gonna do…"

"About what?"

Alfred blushed. "Well…there's…okay, you can't tell anyone alright?"

"I promise Alfred-san, that I will not say anything to anyone about what you are going to tell me."

"Well…there's this girl…in our class…who rides our bus…and…"

"Is it Navah-san?"

"Are you psychic or something?!"

Kiku smiled out of amusement. "No, just, it's actually quite obvious that you like her. You don't get nervous around any other girl in our school except her. To be honest, a lot of our classmates suspect you have a crush on her already."

Alfred blushed more. "Man this really sucks!"

"Don't worry. I'm sure nobody will say anything."

"Well…anyway…I want to get her something for Valentine's…but I don't know what. I don't want it to be extravagant or anything like that, because then she'll know I like her and yeah…"

"Why not just get her a card? Our school has those Valentine's grams every year for Valentine's Day. You should buy her one."

"But then I have to put my name on it! And if I write anonymous, then she'll know it was me because of the way I write!"

"If you'd like, I can write it for you."

"Really?"

"Yes. I don't mind. I can write anonymous, but she doesn't know my handwriting so it'll be safer for you that way."

"Wow, you'd do that for me?"

"Of course Alfred-san."

"Thanks! You're the best! So Kiku…" Alfred smiled mischievously. "Is there somebody _you_ like? Come on, I'm sure there's a girl you've got the hots for."

Kiku's trademark blush returned. "U-Uhm…w-well…"

"Aww ha ha! I knew it! You have a crush on somebody! So, who's the girl?"

"P-Please…I'm v-very uncomfortable talking about th-things like this…" He wasn't about to tell Alfred that his crush was a guy.

"Oh…well, okay then. Don't get so embarrassed about it. Your face is really red! Are you okay?"

"Y-Yes, I'm fine. I just tend to blush very easily…"

"Yeah I've noticed!"

Luckily Alfred had already pulled up on the sidewalk right in front of Kiku's house. The small teen got his stuff from the backseat. "Uhm, thank you very much for the ride home Alfred-san."

"It's no problem! And don't forget, don't tell _anybody_ about me liking Navah, _even_ if some already suspect it!"

Kiku smiled. "I won't."

"Thanks. Well, I guess I'll see you later!"

"Alright. Good night, Alfred-san."

"Night Kiku!"

The boy watched Alfred drive off down the street. He really was grateful that he became friends with him. He smiled at the thought.

"Yes, either way, I will give him something for Valentine's Day as a token of my appreciation."

* * *

Alfred had decided to hurry up and finish his lunch so he could go to the student store to buy a Valentine's gram. Kiku tagged along because he promised he'd write the message for him.

"So," Alfred said looking at the heart-shaped pink paper. "You just…write down the person's name?"

"Yes. I believe you need to write down their name and the class number of their homeroom so the office knows where to send it on Friday."

"Oh…okay." He handed Kiku the paper. "Please…?" He looked shy.

The boy smiled. "Of course Alfred-san." Kiku took out a pen from his pocket and wrote Navah's name down and their homeroom number since she was in the same one as them. He signed it _"Anonymous."_

"Thanks Kiku! You're a really great friend!"

"Uhm, thank you, but I'm sure a friend is more than signing things you don't want to sign yourself…"

Alfred laughed. "But you've been a good friend and done so much for me!"

"Not really…"

The blonde ignored him. "Anyway, where do I send this?"

"At that table over there." Kiku pointed to a table that was set up outside the cafeteria. There was a hand-painted banner that said "Valentine's Grams" in front of it. Two people were sitting down taking various grams from others who decided to buy it.

Alfred and Kiku walked up to the table. "Feliks? What are you doing here?"

"Oh hey Freddy! I'm in charge of this year's Valentine's Grams so like, I have to sit here and wait every lunch until like Friday since that's when Valentine's Day is. Liz is here with me too!"

"Hey guys!" said Elizaveta. "Do you have a gram you wanna put in the box?"

Alfred blushed. "Y-Yeah…"

Elizaveta took it and smiled at his bashfulness. "Okay. Would you like to send this person a rose? It's only a dollar more."

Alfred looked at Kiku and his small friend replied, "Whichever you want Alfred-san. You're the one giving the gram to that special somebody, so I can't make these kind of decisions for you."

"Uhm…" he said turning back to Elizaveta. "Yeah, I'll…buy a rose too…" He gave her a dollar and she attached a paper to his gram and then put it in the box.

"What was that?"

"We mark all the grams that are going to have a rose since it's easier to remember."

"Oh, alright. Well, I guess I'll see you two later then!"

"Bye you guys!"

"Lates!"

"I'm kind of nervous…" Alfred told Kiku as they headed back inside the cafeteria.

"Why?"

"I don't know…I just am…and it's not even Friday yet…"

"Well, don't be Alfred-san."

"Yeah but I can't help it! When I'm nervous my stomach really hurts and then I feel like I'm gonna puke!"

"L-Let's try to find something that will take this thing off your mind so that doesn't happen then..."

* * *

Kiku had avoided talking about anything relating to Valentine's Day for the rest of the week so Alfred wouldn't get nervous therefore preventing his breakfast or lunch from being seen by other people in its digested form.

Of course, when Friday came along, no matter what topic Kiku brought up, Alfred was still very nervous.

"Oh my God!"

"Please Alfred-san, calm down!"

"B-But after second period is homeroom where we're going to receive any Valentine's Grams! The place we're walking to right now!"

"Do not worry. Everything will be fine."

Alfred was a nervous wreck when it came to things like these. Therefore, he bugged Arthur to get out of his seat since he sat behind him, that way Kiku could sit there instead.

"Why does he need to sit so close to you?"

"For emotional support!"

"What the bloody hell are you talking about?"

"Just move! Please?"

Arthur gave an irritated sigh and moved from his seat, switching places with Kiku. "Alfred-san, was that really necessary?"

"Yes it was!"

"Okay class!" said Mrs. Rosales in her usual perky manner. "Usually this is the time where I make announcements about things going on in the school, but since today is Valentine's Day, I'm gonna spend it giving out all the Valentine's Grams!"

She put two boxes on her desk. "Now usually I like you all to be in your usual seats, but today you can move around to sit with your friends."

"Mrs. Rosales," Arthur said raising his hand.

"Yes?"

"Why are there bags inside one of those boxes?"

"Oh, well, you see, this year some of you got _so_ many grams that the office had to put them in bags! There's quite a few of you in here who seem to be very popular among the female and male students of this school! Now then, when I call your name, come up and get your grams! I'll start with the bags."

She shuffled through the second box and picked out a bag. "This first one is for you Francis!"

The French student walked over and took the bag. "But of course. I suspected I'd be getting various grams from very lovely ladies ~"

Arthur gave a laugh. "They're probably from all your past relationships who wrote death threats on the grams instead!"

"Don't be jealous Arthur," he said taking out a rose from one of the cards, sniffing it. "There's plenty of Francis for you left." He winked.

Arthur's face went red, but from anger or embarrassment, nobody could tell. "Bloody frog…"

"Oh! What do you know! Arthur, this next bag is for you!"

The Briton happily walked up and grabbed the bag. "Thank you." He smiled looking down at it. A lot of girls couldn't resist him so getting a bag full of grams only increased his ego.

"Well well Francis, seems that this year I've got more than you."

"Nonsense. I will not believe it in a million years."

"Want to count?"

"Yes."

Yao shook his head. "Aiya…those two and their rivalry…"

Mrs. Rosales took out another. "This next one is for…Katyusha!"

"Oh!" said the Ukrainian as she walked to the front of the class. "I-I-I didn't expect to get so many! Oh, this makes me very happy!" She had tears in her eyes as she walked back to her desk.

"Big Sis…" asked Ivan. "Can I see those grams?"

"Oh, why?"

"Well…I just want to thank whoever sent them to you since you seem so happy!"

Katyusha smiled. "Oh of course! After I read one, I'll let you see it, and so on!"

"Okay!" Those poor unsuspecting males who sent Katyusha grams this year were going to suffer the consequences depending on Ivan's personal opinions of each of them.

"Wow!" said Mrs. Rosales as she took out a larger bag, making Arthur and Francis' jaws drop. "This one is for Feliciano!"

"Yaaaay ~ !" said the Italian as he walked up and received his prize. "I got a lot this year! Oh, I'm so happy!"

Lovino pouted and crossed his arms.

"And this one, is for Ludwig!"

The German was shocked. He had never gotten a bag of Valentine's Grams ever. "What…? For me…?"

"Yes!"

Mrs. Rosales handed the bag to Feliciano who took it to Ludwig. "Wow! You're popular with the girls Ludwig! That's so awesome!"

He really didn't know what to say. He thought he was intimidating to a lot of people, but that bag proved his personal opinion of himself, wrong.

"Oh goodness…" said Mrs. Rosales reaching into the box. "This one…!" She pulled up an even bigger bag. "Is for…Antonio!"

Arthur and Francis gawked at the huge bag that was for Antonio.

"Wow!" said the Spaniard. "This is amazing!" He saw various roses sticking up from the top of the bag. "I feel so loved!" He walked back to his seat, Arthur and Francis glaring daggers at him but being himself, Antonio didn't even notice.

"I hope one of these is from Manny ~"

"Moron!" shouted Manuel. "I'd never send you one of those! Who the hell do you think I am?!"

"You mean you didn't send one?"

"No!"

"But…but why not?"

Manuel was very close to throwing a chair at Antonio's face. "I hate you. _Remember_?"

"You don't really mean that."

"Yes I do!"

"Oh…it's because I didn't spend a lot of time with you like I did with Lovi and Feli in the past, isn't it?"

Manuel stood quiet for a moment. "You know why I hate you. I don't have to keep repeating myself…"

Alfred looked at Manuel and realized that there were things he didn't know about him despite how close they were. But looking at his face, he thought that asking him personal questions about his past wasn't exactly a good idea.

"Alfred?"

"Huh?"

Mrs. Rosales put her hands on her hips. "I've called you three times and you didn't answer. What were you thinking about?"

"Oh…nothing. I'm sorry…"

"That's okay. Anyway, this bag is for you!"

The entire class stared at the bag in shock. It was just as large as Antonio's, except instead of overflowing with roses, it was overflowing with chocolates.

"Holy crap is that for me?!" asked Alfred in sincere awe as he walked up to the class and took it. "This is awesome!"

Mrs. Rosales laughed. "My Alfred! You seem to be the most popular with the females like Antonio!"

"Guess I am! Then again, I _am_ pretty handsome."

"Don't get too conceited git."

"Arthur, don't hate just because girls like me more than you. Envy is such a horrible thing isn't it?"

Arthur's hands balled up into fists on his desk. "One of these days…"

Mrs. Rosales handed out the last of the bags. One was for Logan and the other was for Heracles.

"What?!" exclaimed Arthur in shock. "How did Logan get a bag?! He's only been here for a few weeks!"

"Believe me Iggy, I'm just as surprised as you are!"

"Don't call me Iggy!"

"But crickey, I feel very happy to have gotten a thing like this! Better make sure to thank all those girls afterward!"

Arthur shook his head. "Really…that…that is unbelievable…"

Heracles didn't seem enthusiastic about the bag of grams he got, but then again, he was never enthusiastic about anything. "Wow, I got a lot of grams this year." He picked one out at random and read it, though it didn't say anything except "To Heracles" and "From". It was signed anonymous but he recognized the handwriting. "Hmm…"

"Well, those are all the bags! Now for the others in a much smaller quantity!"

Elizabeta got one from Roderich who bought her many roses. She swooned and tied them all together in a bouquet. The rest were from guys she didn't talk to, and then she got one from the person who annoyed her the most.

"Gilbert, what the hell is this?"

"It's a gram! What does it look like?"

"Why'd you send one?"

He sat back in his seat, his hands behind his head and his feet on his desk. A smirk formed on his face. "You see, one day, you're gonna realize that Rich there is a pansy and I'm the embodiment of awesome and you're gonna beg me to be your guy. So I sent you one in advance. There's no need to thank me babe."

Elizaveta ripped the gram to shreds and her anger was so grand that everyone in the room felt it. "Call me babe again. I. Dare. YOU."

Francis stuffed chocolates into Gilbert's mouth.

"Mmf!" He spit them out. "What are you doing?!"

"Gilbert! Don't answer her!"

"Well geeze you don't have to stuff my face with chocolates!"

Alfred watched from afar as Navah smiled at all of the grams she got and the way she daintily held the rose to sniff it. The American smiled out of contentment, a light blush on his cheeks.

Everyone in homeroom wasn't left out. Each student got at least one gram whether it was from a friend or from their secret admirer. Yes, everyone got a Valentine's Gram, except Kiku.

"Kiku, you didn't get anything again this year?" asked Feliciano sadly.

"No…except yours that both you and Ludwig-san signed but…" He didn't want to hurt Feliciano's feelings and tell him that by this point, he didn't count it anymore.

"Oh…"

Kiku decided not to worry about it though. This was expected. It didn't help that sometimes he was mistaken for a girl in public, a factor didn't help his self-esteem at all, but made this day all the more understandable.

* * *

It was third period and Kiku had Spanish class next. He thought it was a coincidence that this year Alfred was in all of his class periods, even though he didn't sit next to him.

Kiku couldn't pay attention though. He was lost in his own world after homeroom. When he had exited, Heracles stopped him and gave him one of the chocolates he had gotten from the grams. The Grecian told Kiku that he looked sad not getting anything for Valentine's Day, so he didn't want him to feel left out.

That made Kiku's heart flutter. All he could think about was Heracles. He didn't have him in this period, so he couldn't stare longingly at him like he usually did, but that didn't matter anymore. What mattered was that Heracles thought about him on Valentine's Day. Yes, it was pathetic to most people if they had known, but quite frankly, Kiku didn't give a damn.

He wasn't even paying attention in class. When he was supposed to be taking down notes on the different conjugations, instead, he was doodling in pink lead pencil which he had borrowed from Feliks some time ago but forgot to give it back. Even now he didn't remember.

Currently, he was engrossed in writing a haiku about Heracles, though there were so many wonderful things to say about him that he didn't know just what exactly to write. He wasn't going to give it to him because it would be rather embarrassing, so he didn't really care how mushy it got.

"_Your kindness is sweet  
Your friendship I treasure  
If only it were more_"

Just looking at it made him blush but that didn't matter. He continued to doodle around it with the pink lead pencil, though his current activity was interrupted by his teacher.

"Kiku!"

"Y-Yes?"

"Are you paying attention?"

"Of course."

"Then what did I just ask of you now?"

Kiku didn't know what to say. Ms. Lopez sighed. "I asked you to go take some papers to the office for me."

"Oh! Yes, right away Lopez-sensei."

The teacher handed him the papers and he took the hall pass so he wouldn't get in trouble. He exited the classroom towards the office.

"Hmm, he's usually not lost in his own little world," Damian said to himself. As much as Alfred and the rest of his friends hated it, some of their periods had students they didn't like, such as Damian and his acquaintances. This was one of those periods.

As Ms. Lopez was writing down some tricky conjugations on the white board, Damian got up to throw something away and as he was going back to his seat, he casually looked at Kiku's notebook and at first he had said, "What the fuck…" but then he smiled and ripped the page out, folding it in his pocket. He returned to his desk and continued to pay attention.

When Kiku returned, he panicked because he couldn't find the page where he had doodled on. "Oh…where is it? I know I didn't rip it out!"

He worried about it for the rest of the period and onward.

* * *

"What paper?" asked Alfred as they all sat at The Table of Epicness.

"I was writing on a paper during Spanish class. Did you happen to see it anywhere?"

"What did it have on it?"

"Uhm…doodles…"

"Of what?"

"They were in…pink." That's all he was going to say.

"Mm, nope. I can't recall any papers like that in the classroom. Sorry."

"Why are you so worried about it?" Arthur asked him.

"Because…just…the things I drew are a bit embarrassing and it would be horrible if anybody else saw them! They're doodles of my personal thoughts."

"Oh. Sorry to hear that Kiku."

"That's alright. I just hope nobody found it and it was thrown away instead…"

"On another note," Francis began. "Why is Damian eating inside today? It's not raining."

Matthew looked at the table where the jock and his subordinates where eating. "I really don't know. Maybe he got bored eating outside all the time?"

"Well whatever it is, it can't be something good," Alfred said. "He's up to something, but I don't know what. I can just feel it…"

It was such a coincidence that a few moments after Alfred had said that, Damian stood up on the table. "Excuse me! May I have your attention please!"

The cafeteria got quiet and looked at Damian, wondering what he was going to do.

"First, I would like to say that Jenny is the greatest girlfriend in the world!"

The cheerleader sitting at another table blushed. "Thank you Damian, but you don't have to say it so loudly!"

"Love you too babe!" Then he took something out from his pocket. "And secondly, I would like to read out something. It appears to be a lost page of notebook paper I found in one of my classes, but I have no idea who it belongs to!"

Kiku's eyes went wide and his skin turned pale. Everyone at the table looked at him and then the light bulb turned on in all of their heads. Yao shouted at the jock angrily. "Damian!"

The boy ignored him. "Let me read some things on here. Wow, this person sure must like pink. Oh! Look, it's a poem! It says: _Your kindness is sweet. Your friendship I treasure. If only it were more._" He smiled. "Wow, that's a pretty nice poem. Short, but nice. This person has talent for writing. I wonder who's the author!"

Yao shouted again. "Damian!"

"Well would you look at that! Somebody has a thing for Heracles!"

The Grecian turned around to look at Damian. Neeraja, Gupta, and Logan did the same. They had been ignoring him until now.

"There's all these hearts and kittens everywhere, and then his name is written elaborately." He laughed. "Wow! His name is written in every nook and cranny on this thing! I think…yes! It's even written in _Japanese_." He stressed the last word on purpose.

Kiku's tablemates turned to him and he began to tremble as he looked at Damian. "No…no…no!"

"This last one seems to be isolated with a fluffy cloud with hearts inside of it. It says "Heracles plus _KIKU_."

His heart stopped. The mumbles stopped. Time itself stopped. All eyes were fixed on Kiku, even those sitting at his table.

Damian crossed his arms triumphantly. "Well now, I think this paper belongs to Kiku. It sure does look like his writing. Doesn't it, _Heracles_?" He molded it into a ball and tossed it to Heracles who caught it. He opened it up and scanned it with his eyes.

"This…this _is_ Kiku's writing…"

Kiku's world fell apart. He felt like the apocalypse was happening. He felt like he had been hit by a train. He felt like the United States stopped all imports of anime-related merchandise from Japan. He just wanted to _die_.

"So," Damian said. "Now I know who that paper belonged too. Kiku! Judging by everything you've written, I think it's safe to say that your secret is…out of the closet."

There were mumbles from the cafeteria. Yao looked at Kiku. "What…is he talking about Kiku? Are you…"

Kiku looked at him with that horrified expression still on his face. Damian smiled. "You write in pink. You dress in tight clothing on occasion. And you write a guy's name down everywhere with little hearts." He grinned.

"You're gay, aren't you?"

He was speechless. He didn't know how to respond. He opened his mouth to say something, but no words came to mind. Heracles looked at him curiously, waiting for an answer. Alfred looked at him in shock, but stood quiet. Tears were forming in his eyes. He was trapped. There was no way out. They knew.

Kiku got up from his seat and ran out of the cafeteria as fast as he could. He slammed the doors open and fled to the nearest restroom to hide.

"Kiku!" shouted Yao. He chased after him, Yong Soo and the rest of his family following.

Damian laughed. "This is the best Valentine's Day ever! Wow! Seriously!"

Alfred darted up from his seat and slammed his hands on the table. "DAMIAN!"

He looked at him. "What do you want Jones?"

"That was a serious dick move you just did right now!"

"Maybe to you. But people were gonna find out sooner or later. Why not sooner?"

"You can't go exposing Kiku's thoughts like that to everyone!"

"They're not private if he writes them down so vividly!"

"I bet you're the one who tore out that page from his notebook while he left to go run an errand!"

"No duh Captain Obvious."

"Don't you realize the consequences of what you've just done?!"

"Not really, and I honestly don't care."

"Kiku is going to get picked on even more because some fucking jackass named Damian exposed his sexual preference! You're _never_ supposed to do that to people who are in the closet! They'll come out when they're ready! Just because you may not like homosexuals doesn't mean you can bully him!"

"Why are you getting angry at me just because everyone now knows that Kiku is queer? And I barely found out myself he was gay too! I bet you didn't even know about it Mr. We Are the World!"

Alfred scowled at him and Damian smiled. He said nothing more to him but turned to Heracles.

"So Heracles! How does it feel to know that you're liked by a fag?"

The Grecian hadn't changed his expression at all. He took his time eating his lunch and drinking the juice from the carton. Then, he looked at Damian. Everyone was waiting for a response.

"Well, you want the truth?"

"Yeah."

He stood quiet for a few seconds and then said, "I don't care." He shrugged.

There were gasps from the room. "What?"

"I said, I don't care."

"How could you not care?!"

"Unlike you, I'm comfortable with my sexuality. I don't know if this is true, but I was told once that homophobes are only that way because they're afraid to admit they're homosexual themselves. Maybe that's your case? I dunno. I know I'm not gay, which is why I didn't freak out about it. I'm still going to see Kiku as a good friend of mine like I always did even before this day. I'm not going to treat him any different. You'll probably treat him worse. Maybe it's because you yourself are attracted to him and you're just denying it, so you beat him up instead of confessing."

There were snickers from some of the students in the cafeteria. Damian was enraged. His face was really red. "WHO THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU ARE MAKING ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT ME LIKE THAT?!"

"Your rage isn't helping. You might wanna calm yourself a bit. Oh, and step down from that table. People eat on it."

"How dare you say something like that to me! You as a guy should be heavily disturbed that somebody like Kiku is crushing on you!"

"Like I said, I'm comfortable with my sexuality. I wouldn't be disturbed. If anything, I'm flattered. It just means I'm that much more attractive than you'll ever be if I can get both girls and guys to crush on me." He ate some more of his lunch in his usual calm manner.

There were a lot of laughs and comments like "Burned!" in the room. Damian stepped down still enraged. Heracles shook his head and continued on with his lunch like nothing had ever happened.

"Wow!" said Alfred. "Way to go Heracles!"

He only got a thumbs up in response. Alfred laughed, but then his cheerful expression changed to worry. "I hope Kiku's alright…"

"You're not shocked about this…discovery Alfred?" asked Arthur. "I mean…don't Americans dislike homosexuality?"

"Not all of them. Look, just because all British people are gay does not mean you have the right to make assumptions about Americans."

An anger vein appeared on his head. "You just did the same thing right now you idiot!"

As always, Alfred ignored him. "I hope Kiku is alright though."

Matthew put a hand on his shoulder. "Yao went after him so he should be fine. You're not at all shocked Alfred?"

"A little I guess. But…honestly…Kiku did look a bit effeminate at certain angles…and had...uh...tendencies." He looked at his twin. "Is it bad that I thought that about him? I could never tell him because then he might be offended but now…no…I still won't tell him."

"Oh, it's okay Alfred," Feliciano said. "It happens to the best of us. If it's of any consolation, I thought Kiku was a girl too when I first saw him!"

"I didn't say he looked like a girl. I said he looked effeminate Feli."

"Oh…well then…uhm…yeah…"

Ludwig faced palmed and Alfred smiled, shaking his head. But he really did wonder how Kiku was doing.

* * *

Mei was waiting outside the boy's restroom since she couldn't join her brothers in comforting Kiku. But even Yao wasn't having any luck.

"Please Kiku, come out from there," he said from the stall door.

"I can always climb over and get him," Yong Soo suggested, but said no more when Yao gave him a death glare.

Yao continued to try to talk Kiku into coming out. "Please…just talk to us Kiku…we're your family and you can tell us anything…"

"Just…just leave me alone…" he sobbed in reply.

"Kiku…" He thought of an idea and shooed away Yong Soo and Li from the bathroom. Then he walked back to the stall and knocked. "If you'd like, you can just talk to me. Yong Soo and Li are gone. I told them and Mei to get back to lunch."

"Class…will start soon…"

"I don't care if I'm late. You're more important."

Kiku slowly unlocked the stall and walked out. He stared at Yao looking for any signs of disappointment or disgust, but he found none. Instead, Yao smiled at him a bit sadly, but Kiku knew it was because of how his secret was exposed. Tears were welling up in his eyes again and he nearly tackled Yao with a hug, trembling and crying. Yao held him comfortingly. He missed the days when Kiku would tell him everything that was bothering him. He was slowly getting those kind of moments back, even though he would have preferred if this had never happened.

"It's alright. I won't shun you if that's what you're thinking. Even though you may not feel the same way, you're my brother and I'll always be here for you Kiku. Don't ever forget that."

Kiku said nothing but cried some more, Yao holding him tighter. He didn't worry about what people would think of him since everyone at school now knew he had a gay cousin, but what he did worry about was what his father would think if and when he found out. He knew the result wasn't going to be a pat on the back and an "It's okay son." kind of scenario. What could be the result of this was sure to tear Kiku on the inside, and Yao hoped Mr. Wang would give the poor boy some form of mercy.

* * *

A/N: This chapter shouldn't have taken me so long to write from the last one. For now, I've put my other fanfics on hold for a bit so I can develop this one more. Once it gets very far into the story, then I'll start updating my other ones. Ignore the fail haiku I wrote. It's horrible. orz

I want to focus on just my Hetalia fanfictions right now because I've noticed that if I write a story about a fandom and I get into another fandom later, I'll take longer updating the older ones since they're not as interesting to me anymore. I will never drop them though! They'll all get finished eventually.

Sad thing about what happened to Kiku. It'll get better though. I promise. Don't ask me why he's working at McDonald's and Alfred isn't. I don't know myself. XD

If you're wondering why Antonio and Manuel had a serious moment back there during the homeroom scene, it's because in a way, that's a foreshadow of another Hetalia fanfic I'm writing called "The History of Mexico." Yeah, a _very_ creative title. I might change it later. I dunno. Lol I only have one chapter written, but I'm planning to post it here sometime soon. I'm gonna have to do a lot of research though on the actual country of Mexico, so this one might take a while until it's up...

I don't have much else to say except that SPAIN WON THE FIFA WORLD CUP 2010. GO ANTONIO. MY HUSBANDO. SEXY BEAST. **DAT ASS.**  
I LOVE YOU!  
AND I LOVE YOU TOO PAUL THE OCTOPUS. -BROFIST-

-ahem- Excuse me. I freaked out again. I can't help it. Antonio is so sexy ~

Speaking of which, FUNimation is finished releasing the dub cast for Hetalia and preview clips! EVEN IN THE DUB, SPAIN SOUNDS SEXY. OH MY GOD. HNNNNG. And America. He sounds fucking hot with his dub voice. It matches him so well I don't even. HAVE YOU HEARD IT? But the accents are win, though England's bothers me a bit for some reason...

The best dub voice so far, and I'm serious, is N. Italy. Just. Wow. His VA captured his personality so nicely! HE SOUNDS AMAZING OH MY GOD I CAN'T WAIT UNTIL SEPTEMBER TO BUY THIS PIECE OF EPIC. IT DOES NOT HELP THAT I HAVE A THING FOR ACCENTS.

Yes, I love dubs as well as subs. People who love dubs exist. I am proud to say I'm one of them. Haters gonna hate, as told by one of my amazing online buddies.

Anyway, thanks for reading this chapter. I can't wait to write the next one! :D


	7. Luck Be A Lady

A/N: Ah, lucky number seven. And I say that because though this chapter is sad, the character involved also gets lucky towards the end. No, not _that_ way you sickos. But it's not like I haven't given that idea any thought...hmm...

*cough* Anyway, this chapter took me...ah...I can't remember...approximately two or three days to write since I had just updated my crack fic not too long ago, so if I update for more than one story in the same week, I get tired. Writing takes a lot out of a person! Really!

In this chapter, it's kind of a semi-character dump, but you'll understand why once you finish. It'll be entertaining (I hope). Promise. :3

* * *

Chapter 7: Luck Be A Lady

Karma had its way with getting back at Damian. The incident he caused during lunch eventually reached the office, which reached the dean, which _then_ reached the principle. He was called in and given a single warning. The dean had him come in after school for the rest of the month, meaning he would miss football practice. Of course, he pleaded to his coach to get him out of this punishment, but it was either he misses a few practices, or he gets kicked out of the school. The coach would rather keep him even though Damian would have to train twice as hard for all the exercises and practice sessions he was suspended from.

Alfred loved the way justice worked.

The blonde wondered if Kiku would even come to baseball practice once seventh period was over. The small teenager had been avoiding him and the rest of his friends after lunch, minus Yao. "He'll be alright," the Chinese student had told him. "I talked to him for a little while after that jerk did such an inexcusable thing to him."

"Alfred?" Matthew asked him. "Are you okay?"

"Huh?"

"You seemed to be lost in thought."

"Oh…uhm…sorry." He finished putting away his textbooks in his locker.

"You were thinking about what happened at lunch, weren't you?"

He sighed. "I can't help it Matt. Just…it got me so frustrated…"

"But Yao said Kiku's going to be fine, so you shouldn't worry about it anymore."

"I know, but still…" He closed his locker. "Do you think he's going to come to practice today?"

"I hope so. Coach won't be too happy if he doesn't…"

The twins walked out of the main building from where their lockers were located, and proceeded to the Gym to equip themselves for practice.

Meanwhile, Kiku made sure the halls were empty as he slowly exited the bathroom. He had been hiding in there ever since the school day was over, waiting for the wave of students to disperse. When he was assured the hallways were cleared, he walked out and opened his locker.

"Why do these sorts of things somehow always end up happening to me?" he asked to himself. "I haven't done _anything_ to Damian to make him hate me." He felt sad and still a little humiliated, but then anger started to build up inside of him. "He walks around here with an air of superiority…bullies shorter and less-built students…especially if they're a minority…" He sighed and calmed down, realizing that evil thoughts of the jock's demise wasn't a solution. "Heracles-san probably hates me now that he knows…"

"No I don't."

Kiku felt his heart skip a beat as he turned to the side to find Heracles standing there with the usual calm expression on his face. He was dressed in the attire he wore for soccer practice.

The Japanese student felt his cheeks warm up a bit. "Heracles-san…"

They said nothing to each other and the silence during that time period was heavily awkward. The Grecian was the first to speak. "Don't worry about it."

Kiku looked up at him from staring towards the floor.

"You can't help how you feel. And don't think you've offended me in any way. I don't hate you. It's going to take a lot more than that for me to dislike a person, and it's got to be for a good reason too, not something dumb as a crush coming from the same sex. That just doesn't make sense."

"But…you aren't…aren't you appalled?"

"Why would I be appalled?"

"I don't know…"

Heracles noticed the saddened expression on Kiku's face as he once again looked at the floor. The taller of the two smiled and put a hand on the other's head. "Look at me Kiku." He immediately obeyed, his cheeks deepening in color.

"While I don't go in that same direction as you do, I'm flattered nonetheless. And our friendship isn't going to change because of that, alright? I don't return your feelings, but I also don't think of you any less if that's what you had thought."

"You…seem to be taking this rather well Heracles-san."

Heracles smiled. "Like I had said in the cafeteria after you vanished, it doesn't bother me at all." He looked a little more serious. "Though now I am. Not because of your attraction towards me, but what might happen to you because of assholes like Damian."

"Oh. Uhm…well, I will survive through it Heracles-san, but I appreciate your concern for my well-being."

"Kiku, I can tell."

"Tell what?"

"That you're a bit scared now to continue attending this school."

Kiku looked away not wanting to answer. "It's…well…it's really just the fact that I am already picked on enough as it is because of my ethnicity and size. Now that everybody knows my sexual orientation as well…things might be rougher for me amongst my peers…"

"Not all of them though."

"I know…"

"And from the looks of it, you already have a good group of friends that really care about you." He smiled at him. "They won't let anything bad happen to you Kiku. You can also add me in to the count. I'll back you up if you ever need it, okay?"

Kiku smiled up at Heracles. "Thank you so much…Heracles-san."

He smiled in return. "No problem. And I already suspected it earlier on today."

"Suspected…?"

Heracles took out a Valentine's gram from the pocket of his shorts. "I got this in homeroom today along with the other ones. It was signed _Anonymous_ but I recognized the writing as yours."

The Japanese student blushed again. "I tried to make the writing bigger and less neat like Alfred-san's and Gilbert-san's writing…but…"

Heracles gave a laugh. "It's okay. Thank you anyway Kiku." He looked at the clock at the top of the hallway wall. "Ah, it's almost time for practice. I got to start heading back to the soccer field. I think you need to go to the locker rooms and change right? You have baseball practice today."

"I wasn't sure if I was going to go after all…"

"You should. Missing a practice because of Damian shouldn't stop you. I have a feeling that's what he wants. He wants to see you give in to his bullying."

Kiku all of a sudden felt determined. "But…I will not give in to a person as heartless as him!"

Heracles smiled again. "Then you better get to the baseball field. Why don't I walk you over there? I'm headed that way anyway."

"Oh, well, okay."

Heracles held out a hand. Kiku looked at it the same way he did when Alfred offered his not too long ago. "Friends?"

Kiku smiled genuinely and shook his hand. "Friends."

* * *

"Where's Honda?" asked Coach Cruz. "He's the only one absent from practice today. He just started too…"

"Uhm…w-well…" Feliciano began, a bit intimidated by her tone of voice. "Something happened today at lunch that…might make Kiku not want to come to practice today…"

"Is this about the whole him being gay thing?"

The entire team looked at her surprisingly. She continued on. "Because if it is, I feel like smacking him upside the head. He shouldn't let things like that get to him. I really don't give a damn which way he goes. What I _do_ give a damn about is him coming to practice! And if he's gonna miss, he's gotta give me a better excuse than that-"

"I'm very sorry I'm late Cruz-sensei…"

The woman turned around and saw Kiku dressed for practice, looking as timid as ever. She smiled. "Well, looks like you decided to show up after all! That's great! Okay, everybody, let's start."

He seemed a little surprised. He was sure she'd explode in his face. "You're not going to ask me-"

"No I'm not because I already know what happened and I see no reason to bring it up again. That's your business, not mine. Now if this affected your health or something, then I might pry and let you off the hook but otherwise, you need to be here on time."

Coach Cruz walked up to him and at first he felt like she was going to slap him, but he was relieved when all she did was smile, and in a more motherly tone said, "You don't have anything to fear here Kiku. While there are people who may look down on something like that, there're also people who have no problem with it. And just between you and me, I get the feeling you're not the only one who swings that way." She looked around suspiciously. "There are way too many pretty foreign boys in this school, so one has to wonder…"

Kiku tried to suppress a chuckle. "Thank you Cruz-sensei."

"No problem! Now go practice with Alfred while I try to teach Feli that the ball thrown at him when a batter hits _isn't_ a rotted and petrified tomato trying to attack him." She walked off calling Feliciano and Lovino for a more focused practice session. Alfred walked up next to Kiku and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Glad you decided to come."

He smiled up at him. "I wouldn't miss it over something trivial like Damian's bullying."

"That's the spirit! Alright! Let's go play some ball!"

* * *

"Crap…"

"What?"

"This flyer…" Alfred looked at the piece of paper Coach Cruz had given the boys after practice was done. It was to inform their parents that conferences were coming up on the last Friday of the month.

Manuel looked at Alfred in a confused manner as the two and Matthew waited on the front steps of school. "What about it?"

"Parent-Teacher conferences are coming up real soon…"

"And that's bad?"

"Yeah kinda. I mean, I don't exactly have the best grade in math…"

"How can you not have a good grade if you do well on the tests?"

"His cooperation and work habits grade," Matthew answered. "He always gets a U for both of those, so his grade drops down two levels."

"Now I'm close to a fricken D…this really sucks…"

Manuel shook his head. "You know, it wouldn't hurt you to not give Mr. Jenkins so much attitude Alfredo."

"But that guy…he's just out to get me! I just know it! And I told you to not call me Alfredo!"

"Well you can't do anything about that last part because that _idiota_ Antonio isn't here! Ha!" Manuel smiled and stuck out his tongue at his American friend.

Matthew shook his head. He knew Alfred was going to get him back for that comment. He just knew it. "Oh, hey here comes mom! I see her!"

"Crap!" Alfred snatched the flyer Matthew had (earning a protest from the younger twin) and threw both papers in the trashcan. "There, now she won't know about it. And don't say anything Manny!"

"Why would I? It's not like I wanna come to Parent-Teacher Conference either."

The three boys got into the car and Emily began to drive off towards their home.

"So, how was school today boys? I'm sure it was pretty fun since it was Valentine's Day!"

"Well, I got a lot of chocolates!" exclaimed Alfred. "And this year the office had to put them all in a bag because of the large amount!"

"Wow! That's amazing! But of course I knew you'd get a lot, seeing as how you and your brother are the most attractive young men in that school!"

She heard Manuel clear his throat and she gave a laugh. "You too Manuel."

He smiled. "_Gracias._"

* * *

When the four arrived home, Manuel walked to his house next door, leaving the Jones to their own residence. Alfred tossed his backpack on the couch and went to the fridge. "So what are we having today mom?"

"Hmm…well, how about some meatloaf?"

"Sure!"

"Alright, I better get started on it!" She put on her apron without even bothering to change out of her work clothes and began to prepare dinner.

"Oh, and I checked the mail today and saw that there was a letter from the school. Looks like Parent-Teacher conferences are coming up real soon boys."

_Damn!_, Alfred thought to himself. _I forgot the school also sends the letters directly home!_

"I can't wait to go!" said Emily, breaking Alfred's talk with himself. "Oh, I'll get to see all your friends again!" She gasped. "And might I also meet Kiku as well?"

"If he's there," Alfred told her. "I mean, Yao usually comes with all of his siblings. Though because his dad is working, it's mostly his mom that comes to those things."

"Oh I see. Still, this will be fun!" She hummed to herself, and then remembered something. "Well, it will be, if Arthur's mother doesn't throw me rude comments like she always does. Seriously, that woman needs to learn how to have better social skills."

"Arthur seems to act the same way…"

"Like mother, like son I guess."

_And how true that is_, Matthew thought looking at his older twin and mother ranting about the Kirkland family.

* * *

"Ah, so you all got Valentine's grams?" Chun-Yan asked during dinner. "That's wonderful!"

"Mei got a good amount," Yao pointed out. "It seems like she's becoming more popular with the boys lately."

"That's because she's blossoming into a beautiful young woman, just like her mother!"

Mei giggled. "Yao and Li got a few also."

"Don't forget me!" shouted Yong Soo unnecessarily. "I got more than all of you! Chicks dig tall Asians!"

Mr. Wang managed a smirk at his nephew's loud outburst and Chun-Yan laughed. She looked at Kiku and smiled. "So Kiku, how many did you get?"

The smallest of the males fidgeted with his chopsticks. "Uhm…well…I didn't get any this year…"

"Oh…really?"

"Yes…"

"Aww, well, I'm sorry to hear that Kiku."

"I-I did get one from Feliciano-kun though…"

"Such a nice boy he is. Always thinking of his friends." Mrs. Wang didn't comment any further because like everybody at the table, she knew the Italian always gave Kiku a Valentine so he wouldn't feel lonely or excluded from the holiday.

"Mom," Li began. "We're going to have Parent-Conference soon."

"Oh really? When?"

"It's the last Friday at the end of this month."

"I thought they were usually on Thursdays?"

"The school said they wanted to move the late afternoon conference times on Thursdays, and the evening ones on Fridays."

"Mm, better go to the Friday one then. I'm busy during the day." She turned to her husband. "Dear, are you coming to the conferences this year?"

"I might. I'll see how late I have to work that day. But I'm assured that all of my children are superb in their grades, right?" He looked at them and they nodded.

"Still, it would be nice to see their new teachers." She gasped. "And this _also_ means I'll get to see that boy you like Mei!"

The girl blushed. "Mom!" Her brothers and cousin snickered. "Why do you keep bringing that up?"

"Well I want to see him!"

Mei focused on her plate and continued eating. Yao shook his head but smiled, and though he would have liked for his father to be more enthusiastic about attending the conference, he felt that maybe it was better if he didn't, just in case somebody happened to mention the incident with Kiku that happened earlier.

He was sure not a lot of people were going to forget about it by the end of the month.

* * *

Alfred looked out the window with dissatisfaction on his face. He really didn't want to come to parent conference, but his mother insisted. _Matt's so lucky. He has nothing to worry about. All the teachers love him…_

Emily and her two sons got off the car and walked towards the lit main building where other students and their families were entering.

"Wow, haven't been here in a while!" she said to herself. "I can't remember when the last time I visited your school was!"

"Mom, we're supposed to go to our homeroom first so Mrs. Rosales can give out our report cards. Then we go to our individual classes."

"Okay then! Let's go!" She walked with enthusiasm up the stairs of the main building until Matthew said, "Mom! It's this way!"

"I-I knew that! I just wanted to check out that mural that's painted up there!"

The Jones family entered the world history class, the twins' beloved homeroom. It was very busy, the walls sporting a big map of the world in the back, classroom projects aligned on the tables and shelves on the sides, flags of different countries hanging from the topmost border of the walls, as well as student assignments posted on cork boards that received an A or better.

Then there was the white board. The words "Welcome to Mrs. Rosales' World History Class!" was written in elaborate letters of varying colors. Surrounding it were the portraits of the presidents of the United States, some in black and white and others in color. She also had a few large posters here and there of important figures of Mexican and Mexican-American history. There were also posters of different landscapes and monuments from all over the world and Emily noticed the word "Hello!" written in different languages across the border of the furthest wall. The teacher's desk was off to the side of the white board that, like her classroom, was cluttered with international trinkets.

Emily guessed the teacher wanted her students to feel like they were all welcomed in her classroom, no matter where they came from. The thought made her smile.

While the room was quite impressive, nothing was more impressive than the table at the back where there were snacks and drinks, which tempted Emily and Alfred. They quickly walked over to it and began to consume the donuts and juice. Matthew put a palm to his forehead.

"I like your classroom!" Emily said to her twin sons. "It looks really nice and inviting!"

"It just looks a bit messy to me."

Emily knew that voice all too well. She groaned and turned to her right to see a sophisticated-looking woman serving herself some iced tea in a paper cup. She was wearing glasses and her hair was styled in pigtails, perhaps trying to make her look younger than she really was.

"If you have nothing nice to say, then don't say anything at all, _Alice_."

Alice turned to her. "It's not a mean comment. I was just trying to say that it seems this place could use a bit of tidying up, don't you think?"

"Well I think it looks nice. Stop being such a jerk. Gosh."

"Really now Emily, you act like such a child."

"Says the woman wearing pigtails."

Alice narrowed her lightning-green eyes at the American, eyes that resembled her son's immensely.

"Oh, hello Ms. Jones."

"Arthur! Hey there!" She grinned at him. "Wow, you're looking more handsome every time I see you!"

He smiled as his ego leveled up. "Why thank you Ms. Jones. You're looking lovely this evening."

"Thanks! I didn't have time to change. I had to rush through traffic to get here. But it's nice to see you again! Al said that you got fatter over the winter break, but I'm just not seeing it."

Arthur retained his smile but if one stared closely, an angry vein appeared on the side of his head. He leaned to the side of Emily to see Alfred devouring a few donuts on her left, ignoring the Briton as best as he could.

"So you think I got _FAT _over the break, do you Alfred?"

"Huh what was that Mrs. Rosales?" He walked away, obviously dodging the question, which only increased Arthur's anger. He smiled at Emily again. "Excuse me Ms. Jones." His usual scowling face returned. "Alfred!"

Emily laughed. "Those two. Sometimes I wondered how it would be like if they were brothers."

"I shudder at the thought Emily."

"Really Alice, what do you have against my son?"

"Nothing. Though your son may be a bit childish, he's quite a pleasant young man. _You_ on the other hand…"

"_Bonjour_ Emily and Alice!"

Emily turned around. "Hey there Franny!"

The woman Emily addressed as "Franny" had a regal air about her. She was dressed quite fashionably in a blouse and skirt with her blonde hair held up in a French bun. A string of pearls hung around her neck. Her eyes were violet which complemented her features quite nicely.

She giggled. "Hello Emily." She looked at Alice snobbishly. "Alice."

"Francoise."

"I see you still think wearing pigtails makes you look attractive."

"And I see that you're still holding your nose up in the air when you talk to people."

"Only when I'm speaking with you Alice."

"How typical."

"At least I dress my age." She fixed her hair up a bit at smiled. "And I look rather fine for it too."

"Conceited twat."

"Pompous brat."

Emily smiled at the bickering of the Englishwoman and Frenchwoman. _They really do act like the same way as their sons._

"Ah! Ms. Jones!"

She turned around. "Francis! Hello! Wow, you're looking really handsome too!"

He chuckled. "Thank you. And I see you're looking radiant as ever." He delicately took her hand and kissed the top of it, making her chuckle. Francoise smiled, pride showing in her look towards her son.

"And Mrs. Kirkland, I see you're looking rather lovely yourself too." He took her hand as well and made the same gesture.

"Thank you Francis," she said, trying to not let her smile grow too big because she was flattered.

"What are you doing?"

Francis turned around. "Arthur!" He held out his hands with a big smile for a hug.

"Get away from me frog!"

"You don't want a hug?"

"No I do not!"

"But I haven't seen you in a while."

"You saw me a few hours ago today at school imbecile!"

"I count that as 'a while' in my book."

Emily decided this was the perfect time to walk away from the snack table. She strolled around the classroom, looking at the different posters and student projects.

"Ah, Emily, hello."

The American mother turned around. "Hmm? Oh, Anya, how are you doing?"

"Fine thank you. It's been a while since I last saw you."

Anya was a tall woman, though her face remained to appear kind and loving. She had long silver-blonde hair that had a pink headband perched on top of her head, and an interesting eye color that looked almost purple. Her outfit looked warm, the pinks and grays blending in nicely.

"Where're your kids?"

"Oh, Ivan is over there, talking with his friends." She spoke with a Russian accent. "Katyusha and Natalia are with him."

"Ah I see! Ivan's really tall! Wow!"

Anya chuckled. "He gets it from his father."

"You're pretty tall yourself though!"

The Russian woman chuckled again. "Oh, there's Alice and Francoise. Ha ha, they seem to be fighting again! I find it amusing seeing their sons bicker right next to them."

Emily laughed. "Yep. I left them though because I don't wanna have to get in the middle of anything."

"I see. I think I'll go say hello then. Nice to see you again Emily."

"Same!"

Emily wondered if she'd get to see any more of the parents belonging to her sons' friends tonight. She got her answer when she heard loud voices coming from the hallway as they entered the classroom. There were two couples: one was a muscular-looking man with a perky woman holding onto his arm, and the other was a stoic looking man with a distressed-looking woman. Their children walked in behind them.

"Ah! The smell of education!" said the masculine man. "It smells like…donuts and apple juice?"

"They have snacks here?" the perky woman asked. "Oh yay! Aww, I should have brought some kind of appetizers when we were coming!" She sniffed.

"That's okay Mama!" he said to his wife. "Tomorrow, we will make a big dinner!"

"Uwaaah!" said one of their sons. It was Feliciano. "Can we have pasta?"

"Of course Feli!"

"Yaaaay!"

"Shut up! You're too loud!" Lovino scolded.

"Lovi, be nice to your brother!" the woman told him.

"Mama, there is no need for him to get so excited over nothing!"

"But that's how he is! And he's so adorable! My little Feli ~ !"

"Mama ~ !" Feliciano hugged his mother with no trace of embarrassment whatsoever.

"Your family is energetic, as always Sofia," said the woman that came along with the stoic-looking man.

"Oh thank you Loise! Yes, we're a family full of energy! Even Lovi! He doesn't show it much, but he's got some spirit in him!"

Sofia looked a lot like her younger son, Feliciano. She had her hair up in a ponytail, the end a bit curly. Like him, she too seemed to have a curl sticking out from the side. Her husband was as equally happy in disposition. He had what seemed to be a five o' clock shadow and his hair was curlier than his wife's, a few curls sticking out as well.

"Arsenius," said the stoic man. "You need to control your children more."

"So where're the snacks? I heard there're snacks here!" Gilbert said loudly. "Oh they're over there. Damn Al's gonna eat all of 'em if I don't go over there!" He rushed to the back table to help himself before all the goodies were gone, making a loud ruckus in the process. Ludwig only pinched the bridge of his nose.

Arsenius laughed. "Like you have with your own Folkert?"

"Gilbert is just a little hyper-active, like his aunt." He looked at his wife and she sighed.

"My _schwester_ is a lot like Gilbert…and thank God she doesn't know about this parent conference…otherwise she'd want to come…"

The stoic man, known as Folkert, behaved a lot more like an adult than Arsenius did. He was a great contrast to the other man, since his skin was a lot lighter and not at all tanned. His hair was long and blonde while the other's was short and brown. He had piercing blue eyes and looked quite intimidating.

His wife on the other hand looked a lot more kind, though she also had a serious disposition. Her hair was messy and quite short and her eyes were green, almost blue. She had a large bosom and a robust yet feminine build. She resembled her son Ludwig immensely.

"Oh hey there!" Emily said as she happily walked over to them. "Haven't seen the four of you in a while!"

"Ah! Emily ~ !" Sofia exclaimed. "Helloooo!" She hugged her instantly. "It's nice to see you again. You look so pretty tonight!"

"Ha ha! Thanks! Same to you!"

"Hello Emily."

"Loise! Hi! Gilbo still a hassle?"

"Pretty much yes…but there are times when he's well-behaved."

"Well…teenagers are like that I guess. Luckily Mattie isn't rambunctious like his brother, but both of my boys are great kids!"

"So Emily," Arsenius began. "Doing well?"

"Yep. I'm doing just fine. Thanks for asking."

"If you ever need help, you can always ask us for assistance," Folkert told her.

"Wow, thanks guys. You're really nice!"

The two couples nodded and said their momentary good-byes as they walked around the room, chatting with the other parents.

"It's so crowded in here…" Chun-Yan said as she walked in with five following her. She spotted Emily. "Emily!"

She grinned. "Chun! Hey!" She ran up and hugged her. "I was wondering where you were at! How're your boys and daughter?"

"Oh they're fine. They went to go talk with their friends over there." The two mothers looked at the teenagers in the room, who seemed to be getting along swimmingly, save for Francis and Arthur, but they didn't count them as this was the usual behavior for the dynamic duo.

Emily saw a small person walk up to Alfred and timidly say hello, the blonde's face lighting up instantly and ruffling the other's hair. Emily couldn't tell who it was, though to her, it looked like a girl from behind.

"Say, who's that Chun?" she asked pointing to the person next to Alfred.

"Oh, that's my nephew, Kiku. You remember him, right?"

Emily squealed, earning a shocked expression from Chun-Yan. "He's so cuuuute! And tiny! I feel like hugging him!"

Chun-Yan laughed. "I don't think he's ever met you. Why don't you go say hello?"

Emily happily walked over to her son and Kiku, greeting a few other parents along the way.

"Oh! Mom!" Alfred said noticing her approaching figure. "This is Kiku!"

Kiku turned around and saw Emily, grinning from ear to ear at him. He wondered why she looked so happy.

"Good evening Jones-san," he said with a small bow. "My name is Ki-"

He was cut off when Emily grabbed him into a hug, cuddling him afterward.

"Hey Kiku! I've wanted to meet you for the longest time!" she said. "Al's told me a lot about you, so I was curious as to whom you were!"

She let him go and held on to his shoulders, still smiling at him. His face was red from being forcefully hugged into her chest.

"J-J-Jones-san. Th-That was an extremely unexpected hug!" he said still blushing.

"Well I'm a hugger! Aww, now aren't you the cutest little thing ever!" She pet his head. "You've got such an adorable little friend here Al!"

"You think so?"

"Yes! He's so cute! He makes me want to adopt him!"

Before anyone else could get a word in, Mrs. Rosales clapped her hands to get attention. "Please, take a seat students and parents. I want to welcome you all back to the school!"

The bodies in the room sat down and listened to the teacher while she spoke.

"Now then, I'm sure you all have questions about what your students are doing in my classroom for those who I have for world history, and those of you who I have for homeroom, I'm sure your parents want to know about your behavior! But first, report cards!"

She took out a stack of papers. Alfred merely groaned.

* * *

"Al, how could you get a C minus?" Emily scolded her eldest son while they were driving back home.

"That teacher hates me!"

"I thought he did too in the beginning, but after talking with him, I think he's right! Al, stop giving him so much attitude."

"But he's a jerk! I don't like him! He needs to get fired…"

"The sad truth is, you're going to have teachers who you dislike, and they may be teachers who don't give a darn about the students, but only go to school for a paycheck. That's reality Alfred."

He thought it was strange how she went from 'best friend' to 'mother' in such a short amount of time. But that's what he probably liked the best about her.

"Well, at least you have good grades in your other classes. Still, you need to be on top with your math."

"I know…"

"And my Matty always has straight A's! I'm so proud!"

Matthew blushed. "Thanks mom."

The car pulled up into the driveway, and as they were getting out, Emily said, "Your friend Kiku is so adorable Alfred!"

His smile returned. "That's what a lot of women seem to tell him."

"Well he is! I thought he was a girl at first from the back…"

"Same here! He looks like one a little, doesn't he?"

"Yeah, quite a bit!"

Matthew shook his head.

"Sad though about his family…Chun-Yan told me about it. The poor kid…"

"He tries to not think about it," Matthew cut in. "He thinks about his future, not his past."

"Well that's good. And for coming to America during elementary at such a young age and not interacting much with others, he can speak English pretty well! His accent is light."

Emily got out her keys and opened the door to the house. "How about pizza tonight?"

"Yeah pizza!" shouted Alfred.

"Can we watch a movie too mom?"

"Sure Matty! Let me just change. Al, order up the pizza."

"Kay!"

* * *

Alfred was glad that his mom didn't bring up the bad grade any further. He liked the way she handled situations like those. She figured that "As long as he knows that I want him to bring it up to an A, that's fine. I don't want to pressure him any further." which of course Alfred respected. He'll bring up that grade eventually. But right now he was engorging himself with pizza while watching a movie with his brother and mom, their dogs lying on the floor beneath their feet.

The older twin's cell phone rang about midway through the movie. He picked it up. "Hello! Alfred here!"

"A-Alfred…san?"

"Kiku?" He noticed that his friend's voice sounded shaky. "What's wrong?"

Emily paused the movie to let Alfred talk.

"I-I-I…" He heard a sob on the other end. "Alfred-san…"

"Where are you at right now Kiku?"

"The front of the s-school…"

"So late? Parent conferences ended two hours ago. It's almost eleven! What happened?"

All he got in response was another sob and a few sniffles.

"Kiku, I'm going to go and get you. Stay there." He closed his phone and got up, putting on his shoes.

"What happened sweetie?" asked Emily in a concerned tone.

"Something's wrong with Kiku, but he wouldn't tell me over the phone. He's at the front of the school." He got the car keys from the bowl on the island in the kitchen. "I'm gonna go get him."

"Do you want me to go with you? Or Matthew?"

"No, I'll go by myself." He opened the front door.

"Well alright. We'll be here waiting. Be careful."

"I will."

The door closed.

* * *

Alfred drove through the streets towards his school and parked the car near the steps. He saw Kiku sitting on the topmost one, head in his hands. The blonde immediately walked over to him.

"Kiku! Why the hell are you here so late at night? And what's wrong?" He crouched down in front of him, hands on his shoulders.

Kiku looked up at him, tears falling from his eyes, his face rosy from crying. "Alfred-san…"

Alfred looked at him worriedly. Slowly, and much more calmly, he asked, "What happened Kiku?"

The boy tried to stop crying and looked down at his lap. "I…I was…I was kicked out of my home…"

"…what?"

"When my aunt…Chun-Yan…came to parent conference, she overheard a few of the students talking about what happened on Valentine's Day…a-and in the car…she began to talk to me about it and got upset at all of us because we didn't tell her. My uncle…he noticed she looked stressed and he pried her to tell him what was wrong, but she said not to worry about it. I assumed…that she didn't want him lashing out at any of us…especially me…then he began to yell at her out of frustration…and Yong Soo-kun got extremely upset at him for doing that to her and the two started arguing. Then…the secret just…slipped by accident…"

Alfred's face was indescribable at this point as he continued to listen to Kiku's tale.

"At first the room was deathly silent. Nobody spoke for a few moments. Then, he looked at me with a cold glare. I just stared at the ground…unsure of what to do or say. He began to walk upstairs, but before he was out of sight…he said 'When I come back down, I expect to see one less person present in the room.' We all knew who he was talking about…and what he meant by that sentence…"

"Kiku…oh…oh my God…"

"Aunt Chun-Yan went upstairs to go and talk to him, and I heard them arguing in Chinese. Yao-san felt like he needed to take responsibility, and of course Yong Soo-kun felt the same, so the two left upstairs to try to settle things. Mei began to sob and Li comforted her." He stopped for a few seconds, Alfred noticing that he was trying his best not to cry.

"And then I…I quietly slipped out of the house, and ran away from there as fast as I could. A few minutes after I had gone, Yao was calling me on my phone continuously, but I didn't answer it. I didn't know where to go. I took the bus…and just sat there…thinking that maybe it would be best if none of them knew where I was…and then somehow…after wandering a bit…I ended up here at the school…"

Tears started to drip down his face again. "But I was so scared…I…have never been in this kind of situation before…a-and though I tried my best to get a hold of myself…I just…" He let out a shuddery breath and covered his eyes with his hands. "…I-I decided to contact you because you said that if I ever needed anything to call you a-and I figured that…" He couldn't speak any longer and just cried, his body trembling.

Alfred didn't know how to respond to what Kiku had just confessed to him. He stood quiet for a moment and watched the small teen release his sorrows.

"So…you…were kicked out of your house because your uncle found out that you were…" He was afraid to say the word. "…uhm…gay…and have been wandering the streets…since that time and now you have no place to stay?" Kiku gave no response. Alfred thought about his next words carefully.

"Do you want me to take you to my house?"

The lithe teen looked up at him, not sure what to say. Alfred decided to continue. "You can't…be out in the streets during this time. It could be dangerous. I don't want you to get hurt. And obviously you have no were else to go…so…I thought…maybe you'd want to come and stay with me and my family for the night?"

Kiku looked at him, straight into his crystal blue eyes behind the lenses of his glasses, wondering if he was being sincere. To his relief, he found that Alfred meant everything he had just offered.

"Come on," he said to Kiku. "No matter what your answer is, you're still coming with me." Alfred stood up and held out his hand to Kiku who took it. The taller boy helped him up and led him to the car. Subconsciously he opened the door for Kiku, who found the gesture strange for a brief moment but didn't think anything of it afterward and sat down in the passenger seat. Alfred got inside the car and began to drive away from the school.

The two didn't talk on the drive back to the Jones residence.

* * *

"Wait here," Alfred told Kiku as he got out of the car. "I'll be back in a few."

Kiku nodded and remained seated. It was the first time he had been to Alfred's house, and he felt like he was imposing. "What am I doing…" he told himself. "I should have declined. I don't want to be a bother to him or his family."

Alfred returned not too long after he had left and opened up the door on Kiku's side. "I told my mom that I brought you home because you had called me and had no place to stay, but now she's curious for the whole story…er…sorry…I didn't tell her anything though, because I feel like you should be the one to say something…"

"I understand Alfred-san." He got out of the car and walked with the taller teen inside the house. Kiku noticed that they did not leave their shoes at the door, so he felt like he should respect their house rules, if they even had any in the first place.

Emily walked up to him, looking sympathetic. "Kiku…what happened?"

She invited him over to the couch where she and Matthew listened to his story. Alfred had already heard it, and it only angered him the second time it was told. He loathed the fact that Kiku had been kicked out of his own home and had nowhere else to go. He had no biological parents, his only family in this country wanted him to get out (well his uncle at least), and he had no money to stay anywhere.

Half-way through, the Japanese student began to cry once again, though he tried to withhold it more this time. Emily knew he was hurting, so she gently embraced him and held him close to her in a motherly fashion.

"Kiku," she began. "I'd be more than happy to let you spend the night here."

"Jones-san…"

"No, don't say anything. It's apparent that if I don't, you'll be out all night, and something can happen to you. That would be horrible. You can sleep in Alfred's room."

"But where will he-"

"I'll sleep on the couch."

Kiku looked at him. "Alfred-san, you don't mind?"

"Of course not. And it's not like I haven't slept on this couch either. I do it all the time when I watch TV!"

"You all…seriously don't mind me staying here?"

Matthew gave a gentle smile. "Kiku, it's okay. Really. We'd be more than happy if you stood with us. We want you to be safe, so don't worry about it okay? It's no trouble at all."

He wanted to cry again. "Thank you…so much…" Emily noticing his breaking voice held him close to her again, trying to shush him in a whispered tone. "Al."

"Yes mom?"

"Go see if you have anything Kiku could wear to sleep in."

"Okay." He walked up the stairs to his room.

"Matt, make sure Al's room is decent enough to live in. You know how he is."

Matthew gave a light laugh and nodded, following his brother. Emily looked at Kiku who had his eyes closed, trying to stop the tears from falling. She stroked his hair.

"Don't think about it anymore. I'll…tell your aunt where you're at."

"But Jones-san-"

"I know you're not particularly fond of the idea, but they need to know where you're at Kiku, alright?"

"I…I understand…"

She smiled. "Good. Now go upstairs to Alfred's room. You shouldn't be able to miss it. He has a board hanging outside his door that says _Hero Headquarters_ in big gold letters decorated with stars."

For the first time that night, Kiku managed to laugh, even if it was only a little. "Okay. And thank you again Jones-san. I am very appreciative of what you're doing for me."

"Aww, it's okay. Like Mattie said, don't worry about it. Now, go upstairs. I'm sure you're tired."

Kiku excused himself and walked up the stairs towards Alfred's room. Emily walked to the kitchen and grabbed the phone, taking out her address book from the drawer. She flipped through the pages and found the number of the Wang residence. She dialed and waited for somebody to pick up.

"Hello…?" answered a very melancholy Yao. "Who's this?"

"It's Emily, Alfred and Matthew's mother."

"Ms. Jones? I don't mean to sound rude but, why are you calling?"

"Kiku is here with us."

"He is?!" She could hear Chun-Yan in the back asking Yao what was going on, him giving her the news in return. Yao continued to speak with Emily. "Oh, thank goodness! He wouldn't answer his cell phone when any of us tried to call him! We were so worried! Is he okay?"

"He's fine. Just a little tired I think."

"From what?"

"Crying…"

Yao fell silent on the other line. "…oh…I see. Well…uhm…"

Emily smiled. "It's alright Yao. You don't have to explain anything to me. He told us the whole story. I'm going to let him spend the night here."

"Ms. Jones…thank you so much…"

"It's my pleasure. But, we will discuss no more of this alright? Tomorrow…I'll speak with your parents Yao...maybe try to understand more of what's happening."

"Okay."

"Good night Yao."

"Good night Ms. Jones, and again, thank you so much…"

"You're welcome."

They hung up. Emily sighed and sat down on a stool of the island looking at the phone and brushing her fingers over the buttons, contemplating the situation she was now in.

"There's only one solution I can think of," she said to herself. "But…it's kinda of rash…and I'm not sure if I'm ready for it…no…I have to. That poor boy can't be out and about wandering from one friend's house to another…"

She put the phone back. "I can handle this."

* * *

"Well…they're kinda big on you…" Alfred said to Kiku. He let him change into a plain white shirt and sweatpants since it was cold, but the shirt was nearly falling off Kiku's shoulders and the pants off his waist.

A faint blush appeared on the latter's face. "No…this is fine Alfred-san. Thank you."

"You're welcome. Well, I better head off to bed now. I'm kinda tired. You should get some sleep too Kiku."

"I will." He looked at the bed. "Uhm…aren't you going to take a pillow?"

"We have extra pillows and blankets in the hallway closet." He left for a few minutes, Kiku taking note of the sound of a door opening and shuffling of objects, the door closing, and Alfred's bare footsteps returning to the room. He had a pillow under one arm, and a blanket under the other. He smiled. "See?"

"Then…I insist I sleep on the couch."

"And I insist you sleep in here. Kiku, it's no trouble! Really! Besides, Hero and Maple will keep me company."

"Hero and…Maple?"

"Yeah, they're our dogs. I put them outside to go do their business before letting them back in."

"Oh…I see." Kiku looked at the floor, and then at Alfred again. "Thank you so much Alfred-san. You…you really don't know how much this means to me."

"Aww Kiku, you're welcome!"

Emily knocked on the door frame. "Time for bed boys."

"Okay mom. Night Kiku!"

"Good night Alfred-san."

Emily kissed her son on the head and he proceeded downstairs. She walked in the room and began lifting the covers and fluffing the pillow for her guest. Then when she had finished, she held Kiku's shoulders, smiling at him. "Everything's going to be alright. You'll see." She kissed the top of his head. "Good night Kiku."

"Good night Jones-san."

She turned off the light, and closed the door.

Kiku walked over to the bed, placing his phone on the night stand. He got under the covers and laid back on the pillow, staring at the ceiling. He wanted to examine Alfred's room more thoroughly since it was quite busy, but his eyelids were disobeying him.

Before he knew it, he had drifted off to sleep.

* * *

A/N: Poor Kiku. Er...his personality was difficult for me in this chapter because...well I know he's capable of crying...but I didn't want to make him turn out to be a huge wimp either. So...yeah. How do you guys think I did? Dx

Lol forever. Yeah, basically, the parents of all the 'students' are going to be their gender-bends. I was going to include some more gender-bends in this chapter...however...I think that would be a bit too much. Therefore, the rest will appear gradually throughout the story, though I'm not quite sure if I'll be able to get them all in somewhere... I'll try my best though! :D

I'd like to point out that the names for the gender-bends in this chapter are from the Hetalia wikia, since those are the names that appear to be given to them from the Japanese fandom. Italy's mother "Sofia" can also be called "Daisy", but that doesn't sound very Italian, now does it? xD Yes, Ancient Rome is Italy's father in this story, and Germania is Germany's father. Idk. They look too handsome and young to be grandfathers. XD

This is also the last chapter for the summer, since I will be starting college next week on Monday. Uwaaah...I'm kinda nervous... T^T So because of this, I can't give an estimate as to when my next update will be, but I'll try to write little by little! Thank you all for reading! The next chapter...let's see...hmm...the next chapter might have a surprise towards the end...

Remember, ninety percent of all incidents that occur in the home are caused by not reviewing fanfictions. ;D


	8. Decision

Chapter 8: Decision

It felt warm in the room when Kiku woke up. The blinds were closed and he heard pitter-patter from outside. He sat up and crawled over to the window. It was raining. "What time is it?" He went to the nightstand and looked at his cell. It was 9:30am at the moment.

"Jones-san must have the heater turned on," he said to himself. "That's probably why I don't feel cold."

Kiku stood up and made the bed since he was a guest and it was routine for him anyway. He left his cell phone on the nightstand and walked into the hallway. The house was a little dark since it was heavily cloudy outside, but there was enough light to see. He walked downstairs and noticed that the kitchen was illuminated. Curious, he stepped inside.

Emily was sitting on one of the stools of the island, drinking coffee while reading a newspaper. She flipped to the next page and took a sip from her cup. Kiku wondered if she was cold because she was wearing a nightgown, though he figured probably not since it looked like it was made of cotton and it had long sleeves. The blonde woman noticed him standing sheepishly in the entranceway.

"Oh good morning Kiku!" she said with a cheerful smile.

"G-Good morning Jones-san."

"Did you sleep well?"

"Yes, I was very comfortable."

"Oh that's good." She looked at the kitchen clock and folded her newspaper. "Well I better get started on breakfast! I'm sure the boys are hungry." She downed her coffee and then put the cup in the sink, getting out cooking utensils shortly afterward. "I'm sure you're hungry too!"

"Uhm…a little. Is Matthew-san or Alfred-san awake yet?"

"Well, Al's a heavy sleeper and doesn't wake up until he smells me cooking breakfast in the kitchen, but Mattie is outside feeding the dogs."

"But it's raining."

"Ha ha! There's a covering over the door that leads to the backyard, so that's where we feed them on days like these."

"Oh, I see. I think I shall go and help him."

"Okay then! I'll be in here."

Kiku walked over to the backyard door and saw Matthew pouring dry food into Hero's bowl. He noticed Kiku and smiled. "Good morning Kiku."

"Good morning Matthew-san. Uhm, do you need any help?"

"No, I think I've got it. Hero is nearly finished with his food. He eats a lot, just like Al."

Kiku gave a chuckle. "Yes, I have noticed that your brother does eat a lot."

"Is he awake yet?"

"I'm not sure. I didn't see him in the kitchen."

"He's probably still asleep then. He's so lazy when it's cold out…" Matthew finished pouring the food into Maple's bowl and then set the large bag off to the side. "Well let's go back inside. It's cold out here."

Kiku returned into the house followed by Matthew who gently shut the glass door. They walked over to the living room where Alfred was still asleep, his glasses on the coffee table. His position looked rather hilarious since he was lying on his back, an arm and a leg on the headrest and his other arm hanging off the couch, his mouth open into a goofy smile and Kiku could've sworn that was saliva at the corner.

"What do you think he's dreaming about?" he asked Matthew.

"Probably about giant burgers or scoops of ice cream. He has a lot of food-related dreams. Ha ha."

Matthew continued off into the kitchen to help his mother with breakfast while Kiku just looked at Alfred sleeping in his amusing pose. He smiled lightly and picked up the corner of his shirt since it was slipping further down his shoulder. _I must be really small for a male if Alfred-san's clothes don't even fit me…_

He joined Matthew and Emily in the kitchen, wondering what he should do. "Oh Kiku," began the woman. "Why don't you sit down?" She motioned her hand to the stool on the island.

"Well, I wanted to know if you needed any help."

"Oh no, it's fine! We've got it covered here. Do you like omelets?"

"Uhm…yes, I suppose so."

"Great 'cause that's what's on the breakfast menu today, along with pancakes, toast, waffles, and hash browns!"

Kiku's eyes widened at the large list. "That is a lot of food Jones-san."

"Oh Alfred eats a lot and I like to get seconds, so that's why I cook so much. Is he still asleep?"

"Last time I checked, he was."

"He should be waking up in just a few moments then. We're almost done here. Nothing can wake that boy up, even earthquakes."

"Isn't that…dangerous?"

"Ha ha, yeah it is, but luckily we haven't had one in a while or when he's sleeping!"

Meanwhile, the scent of food drifted into the living room and reached the nostrils of the blonde still asleep on the couch. As soon as he got a whiff of it, he yawned and sat up, stretching and scratching his side. He put his glasses on and smelled the air again. "Mm, breakfast!"

He hopped off the couch and walked into the kitchen. "Good morniiiing ~ !" he said to everyone present.

"Finally you're up," Matthew said with a smile. Emily only chuckled and Kiku waved.

"Ah, good morning Alfred-san."

"Mornin' Kiku! Did you sleep well? I'm sure you did 'cause my bed is awesome and comfy."

He chuckled. "Yes, I slept pleasantly."

"That's good. So mom, what're we having for breakfast?"

"Oh Alfred, just set the table and you'll find out!"

He pouted but listened to his mother anyway and set the table. Kiku decided to help him which made Alfred happy even though the workload was small. Emily and Matthew put the cooked food on the table and then everyone sat down. The woman smacked her son's hand before he could reach for the plate of pancakes and said, "Not yet Al. You know we always pray first."

"No we don't."

She glared at him. "Yes, we do." They didn't, but she wanted to make a good impression on Kiku.

"Agh…okay…"

After a quick prayer from Emily, the four began to eat. "Mm, yummy as ever mom!"

"Thanks Al. I'm glad you like it!" She took a bite of her omelet and then looked at Kiku. "How are you enjoying the food?"

"It is very delicious Jones-san. I've never had a breakfast like this before. We don't usually eat this in the morning at my aunt's house."

"Oh really? Well you're going to have nice and warm breakfasts while you're here!"

He smiled and nodded. "Thank you Jones-san."

* * *

Emily left about an hour later to meet up with Arthur's mother, Alice. Matthew asked her why since it was Saturday, and she said she wanted to go shopping with her, something the younger twin felt was suspicious since Alice hated going on shopping sprees.

"Hey Kiku," Matthew said to him. "My mom wanted us to go to your house to pick up your belongings."

"Really?

"Yes, and she said Yao called earlier and wanted you to come over."

"Oh…" He stood quiet. "Will my uncle be there?"

"Yao said that his mother and father left to go run some errands, so it not likely he's there right now."

"I see. Well…then I guess I should go…"

"Al, are you gonna come?"

"Sure thing! But it's raining outside and mom took the car."

"I thought you had two cars Alfred-san."

"Well the one that belongs to Matt and me is at the shop."

"Why?"

"…no reason."

Matthew shook his head. He didn't want to tell Kiku that Alfred was irresponsible and forgot to take the car in for an oil check and that he _also_ forgot to pick it up when it was finished.

"Oh, well, then how are we going to get to Yao-san's? I mean, we can always walk but it's raining outside."

"Matt, is he out there?"

The twin walked to the window and looked outside. "Yeah he is. He's just sitting there listening to the radio or something it looks like it."

"Great!"

"Huh?" Kiku was mildly confused. "I'm sorry. I got lost…"

Matthew chuckled. "When we don't have the car available to us, Manuel usually drives us around."

"Manuel-san? He lives around here?"

Alfred nodded. "Yep, he's just next door! Been our neighbor for years!"

"I did not know this…"

Alfred laughed. "Yeah, Manny's always bugging us-"

"No he doesn't." Matthew was ignored.

"—so in return he has to drive us around when we don't have our car."

"Oh…well doesn't he mind?"

"Nah, especially if Toni is visiting, which is like every other day." He got up from the couch and said, "Well we better get ready!"

"Alfred-san, the only outfit I have is the one I wore yesterday."

"That's okay. Who's gonna know but us?"

* * *

There was a light drizzle when the three walked out of the house. Alfred locked the door and Matthew opened up the large umbrella. Kiku had to borrow clothes yet again, so he was now wearing a jacket for the rain, though that too was rather big on him.

The trio walked a few steps toward Manuel's driveway where they saw an SUV parked in front of the garage door. Alfred walked up to the window and knocked. Manuel noticed and turned the music to a lower level, rolling the window down in addition.

"Hey Alfredo and Mateo, _buenos dias_!" He noticed Kiku standing next to them. "Oh! _Buenos dias_ to you too Kiku!"

"Morning Manny."

"Good morning."

"H-Hello Manuel-san."

"Came by to hang out with me?"

"Actually we need you to drive us around."

"Again? Why?"

"We need to get to Yao's house."

"I don't even know where that is!"

"Geez it's not that far from here!"

"Then walk."

"It's raining."

"Correction: it's _drizzling_."

Alfred stared at the Mexican boy with narrowed eyes. Manny laughed. "Okay okay, I'll take you there. Just hop on in, but you're gonna have to sit in the back 'cause my sisters are coming with."

"Why?"

"Eh, they wanna go to get their nails done or something, and since I'm the big brother…I have to take them…and stay with them until they're done…" He sighed. "I hate my life."

"I hate your life too."

"Just get in the damn car Alfred…"

The American boy laughed and ushered his twin and Kiku into the back of the car. Not too long after, Alicia and Eva walked out of the house and toward the car. Alicia got in the passenger seat and Eva sat in the middle row, who did not notice the other three in the back.

"Damn what took you two so long?"

"We were doing our hair," Alicia replied.

"Why? It's fricken raining outside. Your hair is gonna get messed up anyway. I don't even know why I gotta drive you guys around…"

"Manny, don't be like that," Eva said. "You need to be nice to your sisters and be the chauffeur."

"Whatever. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention, Alfred and two more are behind you."

Eva shrieked when she turned around and saw Alfred with his brother there. She blushed on eye contact.

"Hey Eva!"

"Good morning Eva."

"Manuel!" she shouted. "Why didn't you tell me they were coming?!" She didn't want them to be there with her brother watching her get her nails and toes done.

The boy cracked up. "They're not coming with us Eva! They just need a ride somewhere."

"Oh, well whatever. Next time, tell me if you're gonna bring them with you!" She had seemed to not notice that Kiku was also there.

"Alright, is everyone ready?" Manuel asked as he turned the key in its socket.

"_Si señor!_"

Manuel froze. He turned around. Antonio was smiling and sitting in the seat behind his. "_Hola primo!_"

"_Mierda!_" shouted Manuel. "Antonio, how'd you get in the car?!"

"Oh I was here when your sisters got in here!"

"I would have noticed you!"

"I didn't wanna startle you 'cause then you'd leave!"

Manuel banged his head on the steering wheel. "_Hijo de puta como me caí gordo…_"

"Manny!" Antonio whined. "Don't use that language! There are ladies here! Oh, and Kiku!" Alicia and Eva looked behind them and saw Kiku there, obviously shocked at his presence. He smiled shyly.

The Mexican teen groaned and started the car. "Antonio you are the bane of my existence."

"Why don't you love me Manuel?!"

"SHUT UP!"

Alfred laughed obnoxiously.

* * *

After he dropped off the three at Yao's house, Manuel said goodbye and dreaded the drive to the nearest plaza since he'd have to listen to Antonio's jabbering on the way there because Alicia decided to switch seats with him.

"Alfred-san, why does Manuel-san hate Antonio-san so much?"

"He doesn't. He just pretends he does. Deep down he holds affection for him, but he doesn't like to show it in public."

"Oh, I see."

"You know, I've never been to your house," Alfred said as they walked up to the door.

As Kiku rang the doorbell, he said, "Well technically, it's no longer my house…" but neither twin heard him say that.

Yao opened the door and beamed, hugging Kiku immediately. "Kiku! You're back! Come, come inside!" He looked at Alfred and Matthew. "And you guys too! I don't want you to get all wet and catch a cold."

The Chinese boy told them to leave their boots at the door since they were wet and he didn't want it to get dirty inside. The twins and Kiku hung their coats on the coat rack near the entrance.

"Where are your parents?" asked Kiku.

"They went to the mall. They said they were going to meet somebody there, but they didn't tell me who."

"Really?" asked Matthew.

"Yes, but it's fine. We've been alone at home countless times. So thanks for bringing Kiku back!"

"Yao-san, I am not here to stay."

"Huh? Why?"

"I am…here to collect my things…"

Yao stood quiet for a few seconds as he looked at Kiku. "But…I thought you came back because you were going to stay?"

"Your father, my uncle, made it apparent that he no longer wants me here now that he knows I am the kind of child he never desired."

"B-But Kiku…where will you go?"

He gave a sideways glance at the twins who were looking at the family photos in the living room. He guessed they must have gotten bored. Then he looked back at Yao and said, "I will stay in the Jones residence until everything settles down."

"You're going to stay at Alfred's house?"

"Yes. His mother told me that it's perfectly fine if I need a place to stay."

"But Kiku-"

"Yao-san, I don't like that I have to be kept away from you and your family, but I feel that there is no reason for me to stay if I am not even welcome in the place that I used to call my home." He walked toward the stairs and said, "I'm going to collect my essentials for right now. Later on…I'll come back for the rest. Alfred-san and Matthew-san already know my decision." He didn't look back as he climbed the steps.

Yao stared at the staircase in disbelief. He didn't know how to respond or what to feel when Kiku told him he didn't want to stay in the house anymore.

"Hey Yao."

He snapped out of his thoughts and turned to Alfred. "Yes?"

"Are you okay? You spaced out. Where's Kiku?"

"I'm…fine, and Kiku is upstairs. His room is the last one down the hallway."

"Oh, okay." Alfred climbed the stairs to go and assist Kiku. Matthew on the other hand looked worriedly at Yao.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine…"

"You don't look very fine to me…"

The boy gave in and said, "I don't understand my father. He shouldn't have said what he did to Kiku. I worry about Kiku so much and he's never gotten along well with a lot of people because he's so timid and it's difficult for him to open up to others quickly… He rarely smiles anymore and…I don't know… I feel like if I'm not there with him, something bad could happen to him…"

Matthew put a hand on his shoulder. "It's okay Yao. Al and I will make sure Kiku stays safe, okay? We won't let anything bad happen to him."

Yao looked at Matthew with a worried face. "But what about when he's at work? There are a lot of people at the mall every day. Something can happen…"

"I understand how you feel, but…you have to learn that you can't be with Kiku every second of the day. Yao, I know you care a lot about him, but you have to let him do things on his own. Even though now you won't be close to him since he's no longer going to stay here, you can always visit him, and we promise that we'll take good care of him, okay?"

The Chinese boy looked at the ground and hesitated in responding to Matthew. Then after a sigh, he said, "Okay. I understand. Maybe…you're right Matthew. I just need to give Kiku some space. Though Alfred is irresponsible and childish, I still trust that Kiku will be taken care of in your household." He looked at the twin and said, "Thank you for taking him in. I hope that you and your family will be able to make him smile again."

Matthew nodded and gave a smile. "You're welcome. And hey, if there's anybody who can make others smile, it's Alfred, and I know that sooner or later, Kiku will start smiling genuinely again."

"Hmm," Yao said with a sad smile. "I suppose you're right. Alfred's cheerful disposition is enough to make anyone feel more welcome."

* * *

"Your room is so organized!" Alfred said to Kiku. "Wow, my room doesn't look like this. And you have so much anime stuff! That's awesome!"

Kiku continued packing more of his things inside his old suitcase he had used from when he emigrated from Japan. "I am a collector of…anime merchandise."

"Oh really? Then hey, one day we should go to Little Tokyo!"

"Where is that?"

"It's in Los Angeles. I've been there lotsa times! I'm sure you'll love it! Hey, you can bring your cousins too, 'cause there's also a China Town and Korea Town nearby! Oh oh! I think there are other Asian towns too!"

A small chuckle escaped Kiku. He was amused at Alfred's enthusiasm. "Well yes, maybe one day we can all go and explore those areas."

"Yeah! It'll be awesome!" He grinned but got distracted when something caught his eye. "Oh, this is a cute rabbit!" He picked up a photo. "Whose is it?"

"That rabbit was mine and very special to me. I…uhm…I love animals…especially the small and cute ones…because they're soft and nice to hug…"

"Aww, that's so cute Kiku!"

The small teen blushed. Alfred looked at the photo and asked, "So where is your rabbit?"

"She died about two years ago."

"Oh… Uhm, I'm sorry…"

"It's alright. You didn't know." He took the photo gently from Alfred's hands. "There's no use looking back at the past. This thing should be left here." He put the photo in a drawer and closed it. It was then Alfred noticed how sad Kiku looked, and it made him sad just thinking about it. _Maybe that rabbit was like Kiku's best friend or something, just like Hero is mine… Wow, I don't know what I'd do if Hero died. Poor guy…_

"Hey uh, do you need help with anything Kiku?"

"No, I mostly have everything."

"But there's so much stuff left here."

"Well for right now, I'm just grabbing the essentials. All this merchandise I can come back for later anyway, plus I don't know where I'll be sleeping at your house, so only the bare necessities must be taken. Thanks for asking though Alfred-san."

"Oh, no problem." A thought occurred to the blonde just then. "Hey, we have another bedroom you know."

"Huh?"

"At my house, there are four bedrooms. Matt and I have our own, and so does our mom, but we have one more. It hasn't been used in years as a bedroom though. Right now a lot of junk and crap is in there, but I can ask my mom about it, to see if you can stay in there."

"Oh no, I don't want to burden you!"

"What's the burden? We need to clean out that room anyway! Ha! Though we can't do it today since it's raining and all…but I'm sure we can do it sometime soon! March is coming up real fast, and it usually gets warmer outside. It doesn't rain in April that much anymore…so spring here in California is usually moderately warm." He began to continue rambling about nothing, but stopped when Matthew knocked on the door frame.

"Are you ready to go Kiku?"

"Oh! Y-Yes I am Matthew-san. Uhm, I have everything packed, at least for now."

"Alright. We can come back at another time to get the rest of your stuff if you'd like."

"No…I'm fine for now."

"Okay then. Well we should get going."

"How are we going to get home though? Your house is a few blocks from this place."

"Ha ha, Alfred is already on it." He pointed a thumb to the hallway where Alfred was talking loudly into his cell phone.

"C'mon Manny, we don't wanna walk in the rain!"

"_I told you, I'm busy! I can't leave my sisters here!"_

"But Toni is with you."

"_I know."_

"He can stay with them. Besides, don't you wanna get away from him?"

"_I guess…"_

"Then?"

"_You're the only one who doesn't wanna walk Alfred! I'm sure Matthew and Kiku wouldn't mind!"_

"Manny pleeeease?"

"_No. I'm not your slave."_

"Porfavoooor?"

"_Augh… Okay fine, I'll go pick you up, but only because I don't want you butchering the Spanish language with your horrible pronunciations. You already seem to do it when you speak in English, and I'm the one who was born in another country..._"

Alfred laughed. "Nah, this is just American English. British English, like the one Arthur uses, is for stuck up people."

"_Okay…yeah…_"

"Thanks Manny!"

"_Eh… Por nada…_" He hung up the phone and Alfred chuckled. "Matt, Manny said he'll be here soon."

"You didn't upset him did you?"

"Nope."

"I mean, it seems like we're bugging him. I'm sure Yao would have driven us back home Al."

"Nah, Manny doesn't mind!"

"Sure Alfred…"

* * *

"Hey Yao, where are your siblings anyway?" asked Alfred as he was putting on his coat.

"Well, Yong Soo is in his room playing video games with Li, and Mei is probably instant messaging on her laptop."

"Then what do you do?"

"I read."

"Read? Why?"

"There isn't really anything for me to do while it's raining outside Alfred. Otherwise, I would have gone to the park."

"Why do you act so educated Yao?"

He couldn't help but crack a smile. "Because I _am_ educated Alfred! Maybe if you read more novels instead of comic books, you'd be as 'educated' as I am!"

"Conceited."

Yao laughed. He noticed through the living room window that a car pulled up in front. "Who is that?"

"Oh that's Manny."

"Manuel? From our homeroom?"

"Yeah, he dropped us off here earlier. I told him to come and get us."

"I could have driven you back home you know. It seems like you're inconveniencing him by the look on his face. I can see it from here."

Matthew narrowed his eyes at Alfred and mouthed the words, "I told you." Of course, his twin gave him an innocent face that read, "I would have never guessed!"

Alfred and Matthew helped Kiku with the luggage while Yao went to the closest to get his younger cousin an umbrella. "Here," he said. "You're going to need it whenever it's raining."

"Thank you Yao-san."

The two stood quiet, but then Yao said, "Have…fun at Alfred's house."

Kiku nodded. "Maybe some time, I'll come and visit you."

"Okay. I'll make sure Yong Soo doesn't go into your room or anything since I know you hate it when people go through your stuff."

"Thanks Yao-san."

"No problem."

"Okay Kiku, let's go!" Alfred shouted from the car. The Japanese boy waved at his cousin and hurriedly walked to the car. Yao watched him leave even after the car was far away from his house.

"Please take care of my cousin you two. I love him just as a big brother would love his younger one…"

* * *

"So, run me through this again Alfredo," Manuel began as he drove. "Kiku's uncle kicked him out of the house because he found out he was gay? Really?"

"Yeah, but don't go tellin' people Manny."

"I won't. But really man, that sucks. If Kiku lived in my family, the situation would be a lot worse, so I understand. My family is like practically hardcore Catholic… It's nice your mom is letting him stay at your house."

"Yes, I am very grateful that the Jones family is letting me stay with them," Kiku said timidly.

"Ha ha, well _señora_ Emily is very kind. She helped my mom find a job when she first came here. I was only four so I don't remember, but yeah. I think that's why we're neighbors now. Really, _mamá_ always gives thanks that she became friends with her. My _papá_ too. Although…" He glanced at Alfred. "Not sure if I like living next door where the son is kinda obnoxious and bugs me for everything."

"Hey, you're the one who always comes to my house without knocking. You scare the shit outta me when I come home and the TV is on and you pop out from the kitchen with '_Hola Alfredo!_' like every day."

Manuel laughed. "Don't listen to him Kiku. He dramatizes everything!"

"He sure does."

"Matt! You're supposed to be on _my_ side!"

Matthew joined Manuel in laughter as Alfred pouted and crossed his arms, slumping in the passenger seat. Kiku gave a small smile and wondered if he'd get to enjoy more moments like these in the future.

* * *

"Why you dragged me along I'll never know," Alice complained as she and Emily waited at a table in one of the restaurants the mall had to offer.

"You know why. You're a lawyer! I need somebody like you at my disposal."

"Yes, make it sound like I am a tool why don't you?"

"Pssh, you take things so seriously Alice." She blinked when the mother noticed a couple walking towards them.

"Oh here they come!" Emily got up and walked over to Chun-Yan and hugged her. "Hello! Good afternoon!"

"Hello Emily. So sorry we're late, but you know how people drive in the rain."

"Yeah, it's a real pain. Come on sit down!" She ushered them to the table where Alice was sitting.

"Hello Alice," greeted Chun-Yan. Her husband just nodded.

"Good day Mr. and Mrs. Wang. Please, have a seat."

"Are you hungry Chun?" asked Emily. "They have some awesome appetizers here."

"Actually, we ate breakfast before coming here, so we're fine."

"Oh okay then." Emily tapped her fingers on the table nervously, chipping the paint off of her nails ever so slightly every time she did so.

Emily cleared her throat and Alice looked at her. The British woman pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose and folded her hands together neatly on the table. "Mr. and Mrs. Wang, there is a reason I am here."

"Oh? You don't like hanging out with Emily just to hang out?"

"My God no. I have better things to do then waste my precious time doing frivolous activities with this woman."

Emily stuck out her tongue at Alice, but it was ignored. "This however is a very important matter. It concerns your nephew, and seeing as how he is a friend of my son's, I'd do anything for my precious Arthur."

"What are you talking about?" asked Mr. Wang.

"You see, it has come to my attention that Kiku Honda is without a home, and he had to stay with the Jones last night after he was…dismissed from his then current residence."

Mr. Wang stood quiet but Chun-Yan seemed a bit more concerned. "What are you trying to say Alice?"

"Well, I think Kiku needs to be in an environment where…his sexual preference is more accepted and there isn't so much tension in the air."

Chun-Yan continued to look at Alice carefully, and then she looked at Emily. "You didn't just call us here to have lunch did you Emily?"

"No…I didn't Chun-Yan. I mean, we still can if you want, but something important needs to be figured out first."

"Alice," Chun-Yan said in a more serious tone. "I think I know where this is going, but I'm not so very sure…"

"I understand how you're feeling Mrs. Wang, but believe me, this is for the best."

"What exactly is happening?" asked Mr. Wang in a frustrated tone. "You all seem to know something I don't."

Alice was going to respond, but Emily placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'll say it."

"Very well then. Remember to choose your words carefully Emily."

The woman bit her lip but decided to take it slowly. "Uhm, Mr. and Mrs. Wang, though we've known each other for a considerable amount of time, I know that it's not enough to fully trust me. I know that…I have struggled in my life trying to keep my sons in a healthy environment, not just physically but mentally, and I know that I'm a single parent but… I've been able to manage all these years and put myself in a stable situation, both emotionally and financially. You see, I've always had this dream of having a child that was something other than…well, having something other than Anglo blood in their veins, and I think I may have found that child, even if said child is a bit too old at this point. I've taken into consideration both the pros and cons when I finally decided early this morning, and so…I'm sure of myself and what I chose. I promise I won't let you down."

"Emily," said Mr. Wang. "This is going nowhere. Just tell us what you have to say."

She took a deep breath and sighed, her expression stern and her posture perfect. She focused her gaze at the Chinese couple and Alice waited for her to voice her decision.

"I want to adopt your nephew Kiku."

* * *

A/N: Why hullo thar. You haven't heard from me in a while. Ha ha. So very sorry everyone. I've been so busy with this first semester of college and finals start next week. Really, the college life is very stressful. I feel bad for those who also have a part-time job... But anyway, this story will probably have updates a little more frequently (as will my other fanfics) because now...I have a beta over at LJ and...she gave me deadlines...which are every three days... That basically means I need to have a new chapter written out every three days for whatever fanfiction I'm working on. Good Lord! I don't know if I can do this! Uwaaah! Dx

So anyway, I think this chapter was a bit shorter than the previous seven, but whatever. I hope it's contents made up for it's length. :D

Hmm, great, now I've tortured myself since I have to research on adoption in a situation like this... If not, I can always dodge it with blocks of text instead of an actual scene... Ah...I have a lot of smart friends online and offline, some who even want to be lawyers. Maybe I'll ask them. Lol

Now for the translations ~

_Buenos dias = _Good morning  
_Si señor! = _Yes sir!  
_Hola primo! = _Hello cousin!  
_Mierda! = _Shit!  
_Hijo de puta como me caí gordo… = _Son of a bitch how you get on my nerves...  
_Por nada = _You're welcome _or_ It's no problem; it can be used either way I believe.  
_señora = _Ms. or Mrs.; used to address somebody older than the speaker.  
_mamá_ = Mother_  
papá_ = Father

Please don't bite my head off if some of these translations or words are wrong, because I'm sure I missed an accent mark somewhere... I can just feel it...

Thanks again you guys for your reviews, favs, and alerts! It really brings a smile to my face. ;w; Now I must be off to bed because I have my Health midterm tomorrow, which I still didn't have a chance to fully study for. Hurray from cram studying! /dies

If I don't update this month again, then I want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! And if you don't celebrate it, well Happy Holidays anyway!


	9. Hello Neighbor

Chapter 9: Hello Neighbor

When Emily had returned home for the day, it was already evening and past dinner. She felt bad that she didn't come to the house early enough to cook for her boys and their guest, but she needed time to think.

_Flashback_

"You want to adopt _him_?" Mr. Wang asked, clearly baffled by what Emily had said.

"Yes, I do."

"Why would you ever want to adopt him? He ran away!"

"Because he wasn't being treated well!"

"We housed him ever since he came here to this country, and we provided food for him, clothes on his back-"

"But that was before you found out he was gay, right?"

Mr. Wang stood quiet. Emily's expression did not falter, nor did she back down.

"What right do you have to speak to me that way Emily?"

"What right do _you_ have to kick out your nephew just because he's attracted to the same sex? You obviously don't want him in your home, so I'd be more than happy to take him into mine."

"And how are you going to do that Emily? Have you forgotten that you're a single mom? You have to put two boys through college, and I doubt you'll be able to afford a third one!"

"Matthew is bright and he already has scholarships waiting for him. Alfred is a genius when it comes to sports, and he already has scholarships too. I'm not worried at all about them. They know that college is expensive, and they've been trying to do whatever they can to help me out. I know Kiku is a very intelligent boy and I'm sure he won't have any problems getting scholarships either."

"It would be a lot easier if you had assistance. If only your hus-"

"Don't you DARE start talking about that son of a bitch. I'm better off without that asshole! And he has nothing to do with this situation!"

"But what about your boys?"

"What about them?"

"Aren't you afraid what might happen to them if Kiku stays with you?"

"Are you suggesting Cheng that my own sons will turn gay because of Kiku?"

"Yes."

Emily gave an incredulous smile and shook her head in a disappointed manner. "No, I am most certainly not afraid at all. I know for a fact that my boys are heterosexual and it IS possible to stay that way even if you have a homosexual friend you know. Ha, I know my boys are incredibly handsome, and yeah, maybe they also attract gay males as much as females, but I'm positive they won't play for the other team just because of Kiku."

"But what if-"

"I said I'm positive they WON'T."

"But what if they _do_? Think about it Emily. Have your boys ever had a girlfriend before?"

"Alfred has had about two girlfriends in the past and Matthew has had none, but that's simply because he's very shy when it comes to things like that. I don't doubt that sooner or later he'll find himself a girl, whoever she is. I hope it's that Russian girl…the one with the huge rack. She seems nice and compassionate. They would be so adorable together! I hope Alfred finds himself another girl too because then-"

"You're going off on a tangent Emily."

"Ah, well anyway, no, I don't think my boys will turn gay or whatever you want to assume Cheng."

"What if Kiku falls for one of them? Emily, what are you going to do then? Like you said, your boys are handsome, and I know this for a fact since my daughter happens to be infatuated with one of them and won't stop talking or daydreaming about him."

"If Kiku happens…well, if he happens to like one of my boys…I'd have no problem with it."

"What if it escalates to them liking him back?"

"Why are you so sure of yourself?"

Alice and Chun-Yan just stood quiet, the latter because she was worried and the former because it was amusing. They made no effort to interrupt them.

"Emily, we have gone places with Kiku-"

"I would sure hope so lest that poor boy feel even more neglected and unloved!"

"—and other people have mistaken him for a girl on first impression, especially when he doesn't speak to show that he is in fact a male."

"Well…I will admit he does look very much like a chick…"

"You see?"

"But my boys KNOW that Kiku is a GUY. Look, you shouldn't even care about what happens between my boys and your nephew. They'll be _fine_, I can _handle_ it, and there is no need to _worry_, okay? You obviously don't want him in your presence anymore, so just let me take care of him from now on okay?"

"Why do you want to do this Emily? I'm lost at everything by this point, mainly because you haven't even told me your sole reason for wanting to adopt Kiku other than you wanted multi-culturalism in your family."

"You want my reason?"

"Yes that's what I've wanted ever since you brought it up!"

"I hate remembering it, but because you're forcing me to give you a 'valid' explanation, fine. Prepare yourself for a life story. My sister and I had a cousin whom we loved very much. He was a bit of an odd ball, but nonetheless we liked him. However, when he started entering his teen years, he was made fun of because he didn't have a girlfriend, he still hadn't had sex, nor did he knock up the first thing with breasts and a nice ass. He of course felt that those were completely idiotic and pointless 'reasons' to be made fun of, but he soon found out why he was this way.

He wasn't attracted to girls at all. Yes, he thought they were pretty or cute, and he did have female acquaintances, but he was never attracted to them sexually. When he realized that it was actually guys he was attracted to, he became scared because he just knew he'd receive nothing but bullying from his peers and criticism from his parents. He wasn't a very good liar though, which was why he got in trouble often, ha ha. It…it soon became known that he was homosexual and his parents were not happy, his father especially. They ostracized him and there was so much hostile tension in his household, that he needed to get out, in fear of doing something drastic to himself.

That's when he came to my sister and I. Our own parents knew of this, and they too were a bit…well they were a bit insensitive, but we begged and begged our parents to house him because he had nowhere else to go. Finally they gave in and he stood with us for a while. My father was the one that was the hardest to crack to try and understand, but eventually after about a year and a half, he got over it, so our cousin basically became like our brother.

Ha, of course…with the way my family gossips…his parents found out we were taking care of him and they became furious for no reason. His dad and my dad got into a huge fight over it, which even led to a physical thing. To this day, none of us understood why his parents were so against it. It's not like it was something new and he was the first child ever to be attracted to the same sex. This led to my cousin eventually running away from _our_ home after he found out what happened. He didn't say a word to us when he left. About a week and a half later after calling police all over the state to find him…he was eventually found."

"Then what did you do?"

"Organize a funeral."

Cheng stood quiet as well as Chun-Yan and Alice. They were afraid to hear the rest of Emily's story.

"What do you mean…a funeral?"

"The police found him in an alley. He had been beaten and stabbed from what they told us. He bled to death, but it had already been hours since he was attacked." Emily's voice began to break but she continued speaking. "There was…a very pink and frilly blouse near him that by that point was already ruined with dirt and blood, and there was a note stapled horribly on it that read 'Clothes for fucked up guys like you. Go to hell you fag!' and the police said that this was a hate crime after finding that evidence… He…he was killed…just because he liked guys instead of girls…because he had no home to stay in…because he just couldn't find a place to stay!"

"…why didn't he call for help-"

"He COULDN'T call for help don't you get it? We didn't have cell phones back then and when you're being brutally beaten, clubbed, whacked, WHATEVER, your voice can't possibly reach the ears of people willing to help you out of a fight by who knows how many enemies! Don't you get it? He was helpless! Nobody was there for him! He was lost and he didn't know what to do!" Emily had already started crying but she didn't stop her tale.

"My cousin…was treated extremely unfairly in his life…all because he was gay. He was nice and funny, yes a bit odd, though a good guy overall. But no, nobody was willing to actually look at his personality. All they saw and all they _wanted_ to see was that he was gay, he was 'different', he wasn't 'normal'. That apparently gave practically everyone a big enough reason to hate him, and eventually murder him. He only lived seventeen years…seventeen…and he was alone and lost…and I just…"

Emily stopped talking and tried not to sob because she had already attracted enough attention from other people eating lunch around them. She covered her face with a hand and tried to cry silently. Alice looked at her, clearly shocked at this story. She had never known this about Emily's past. The British woman looked over at the couple, and Chun-Yan was already in tears, Cheng's face still plastered with shock and disbelief.

"…that's why…" Emily tried again. "…that's why I want to take Kiku into my home. I don't…I don't want him to risk ending up the same as my cousin. Kiku is such a well-mannered and intelligent boy…and he doesn't deserve that. Nobody deserves what happened to my cousin… I don't…I don't want to see another young life taken all because of a sexual preference. If I don't take in Kiku…I don't know what will happen to him if he just roams the streets…" She wiped away her tears and then looked at Cheng.

"I've always had a theory about my uncle and why he hated my cousin so much after he found out he was gay. I believe that…my uncle probably felt like he failed raising him or something because he turned out to like guys instead of girls. Maybe that's how you feel also Cheng. I know Kiku isn't your son, but Chun's sister left him in your care to raise him as your own…so maybe you feel like you failed her and yourself because of this. Please…even if you won't let me adopt him…at least let him live in my home. My boys already got attached to him and I'm sure they'd be disappointed if he left so soon, even though it's only been a day."

Cheng looked at Emily, who still looked a little sad from telling her tale. He looked down at the eating utensils on the table, and then he looked back up at her. "If Chun-Yan is fine with it…then I will allow Kiku to live with you, but only under the condition that he continues to remain as part of my family, since Yao and my other children are already upset with me from last night, and would be even more enraged if I disowned one of my own."

Emily smiled and Cheng continued. "I will admit that I don't like that fact that Kiku chose the lifestyle he did at all, but…after hearing your story…I don't want something horrible like that to happen to him. If it did, not only might he lose his life, but I would have failed my wife, her sister, my children, and myself. I won't allow that to happen. Therefore…even if you can't adopt him…it's perfectly fine if he stays with you as long as he wants."

The blonde woman sighed in relief and smiled again. "Thank you so much Cheng. I guess this means Kiku needs to change his home address then at school. Well, that will be taken care of later I guess."

"Good, now that everything is settled," Alice began. "May I please get out of here?"

"Don't you want lunch?"

"Not if it's with you."

"What about you Chun-Yan?"

"We were going to take our children out to lunch."

"Oh… Well I can have lunch by myself then."

"You should think about what you're going to do," Alice said. "Mr. Wang is right you know. You already have two boys. Emily, I know you make a good amount of money right now, but please understand that over time it's going to get costly having a third child. Trust me, I would know since I have six children, and it gets rather expensive."

"Yeah but you see, that's your own fault. It's not like I planned to have two kids. I didn't know I was having twins until the doctor told me. You and your husband on the other hand seemed to go out of control or something with so many kids. It's your own fault and that of your husband's for being so horny."

Chun-Yan laughed and Cheng shook his head. Alice blushed a deep shade of red and she bolted up out of her seat. "Mr. and Mrs. Wang, this meeting is over and I'm glad everything has been settled out. And YOU Emily need to think before you speak! Good day!" With that, she left stomping out of the restaurant. Emily chuckled.

"I agree though with her," Cheng said. "Please think about your financial situation, and more about other scenarios too. Now that Kiku will be living with you, you'll have to take him with your family everywhere to whatever gatherings or problems you may have."

"That's fine, I don't mind."

"But what will you tell your relatives when they ask about him? Nobody wanted him because he was gay and you felt pity so you took him in?"

Emily's eyebrows furrowed. "That is _not_ the reason Cheng. I already told you why."

Chun-Yan decided enough was enough. "We're sorry Emily, but we must get going. Come on dear."

"I'm not finished-"

"I said _come on._"

His wife hardly raised her voice at him, but when she did, he knew he was in the red zone and that was never a good sign. "Well then Emily, we need to get going. Our children are waiting for us to take them out to lunch. We'll see you around."

"Okay then, have a nice lunch."

The Chinese couple excused themselves and Emily sat alone at her table. She thought about everything that had happened, and now was faced with yet another problem: what _would_ her family say when they found out? They had family reunions out of nowhere when somebody decided they want to hear relative gossip, and she'd have to bring Kiku with her, who would be the odd one out. "No…I'm sure everything will be fine…"

"Excuse me miss?" a waiter asked.

"Hmm?"

"You've been sitting here for a while. Would you like something to eat?"

"Oh, yeah I guess. Uhm, just give me a few minutes please."

"Okay, I'll be back then."

"Thanks." She sighed and knit her fingers together, propping her arms up on the table and resting her chin on her hands. "I can do this right? It won't be hard… I'm definitely not going to let poor Kiku wander the streets either… I…I can handle this. I'm a Jones! Jones can do anything!"

_End Flashback_

She set down her purse and keys on the counter. Emily walked over to the living room to see if the other three persons were in the house, which they were. The television was on some late night comedy, with her boys and Kiku fast asleep on the couch. Matthew's head hung as he slept with the remote in his lap, Alfred had his head leaned back with earphones on, connected to his PSP which had been paused, and Kiku was in the middle of them both, his head resting on Alfred's shoulder. Emily smiled at the scene. She wondered if they waited for her. Looking over to the other couch, she got a blanket and covered them, not wanting to wake them up. She turned off the TV and then the kitchen lights, making sure the bottom floor was secure. Then she proceeded up the stairs to her own room to sleep.

* * *

Matthew opened his eyes and yawned. He was a bit drowsy, but noticed that his twin and their new friend had crashed on the couch. "What time did we go to sleep?"

"Who knows?"

The boy looked over the coffee table and saw that Manuel was lying down, watching TV. "Manuel, how'd you get there? Ah, well actually, the better question is, how'd you get in our house?"

"Oh, you guys forgot to lock the door when you returned from Yao's place. Like after I got home, I didn't wanna be there because that _estupido_ Antonio decided to stay yet again, so I snuck in here and watched movies on that portable DVD player of yours in the hallway closet. I slept in there too."

"Ah, I see. Does Alfred know?"

"Alfredo would tell you if I were here, so no."

"Manuel, uhm…don't you have to get home?"

"Eh?"

"Doesn't your family go to church in the mornings on Sundays?"

"Oh, that. Yeah see, Antonio is going too, and I don't wanna be around him because he's too clingy. Besides, I'm not really a church person… Ha, my _abuela_ scolds me for that though."

"Well, okay. I just would hate it if you got in trouble."

"Nah, it's fine. My mom likes you guys too much. She said she wants me to be more responsible like you guys…or…well at least YOU Matt."

Matthew chuckled. "Thanks."

"So, is Kiku staying here then permanently?" He pointed his thumb at the couch where Alfred and Kiku were still sleeping.

"Yes, he is. Hopefully he's happy here."

"I hope so too. That guy needs a break from life it seems."

"Yeah…"

"Your mom walked out earlier this morning. She told me to tell you guys to eat cereal or something."

"Oh, that's fine. I would have preferred her cooking but…"

"Cooking? Ah _amigo_, then I can cook for you!"

"Really? I didn't know you cooked Manuel."

"Yes! See, my sisters and I, and that nimrod Toni, had to learn how to cook and do lotsa stuff when we were kids. All four of us know how to cook really well, even if we're better at some other recipes than the other three."

"Oh, I see. Well then, I'd love to see you cook!"

"Great! Hey, you don't mind if I play music while I'm cooking do you? I get bored with everything being silent and all."

"Ha ha, no it's fine. Al's a heavy sleeper, so he probably won't even hear it."

"Okay, thanks!" Manuel jolted up from the floor and walked into the kitchen, preparing to cook.

"Hopefully Alfred doesn't get upset that Manuel is here again… I wonder if I should wake up Kiku?" He looked at his brother and new resident sitting next to him. He smiled and stood up. "No, I think I'll leave them like that. They're probably tired. Ah! I wonder if Hero and Maple have been fed yet? I gotta check!" He quickly ran outside to the backyard where the dogs were whining from being hungry.

* * *

Kiku slowly opened his eyes, and noticed he had been leaning on Alfred. He quickly stood up, and looked around. "Oh, I suppose I fell asleep here…" He stretched and then took the dirty cups of soda into the kitchen, where he was greeted with a wonderful smell.

"Manuel-san?"

"Kiku!" Manuel turned around from the stove, wearing an apron and a spoon in his hand. "_Buenos dias_! Did you sleep well?"

"Yes, thank you. Uhm, I don't mean to sound rude, but what are you doing here?"

"I avoided going to church so I hid here last night. My family always rushes on Sunday mornings, so they always forget things and remember when they're already in the parking lot, so I'm safe. Ha ha! Plus that moron Antonio is there…"

"Uhm, why do you have so much resentment towards Antonio-san?"

"There's a lot of reasons. My parents say it's jealousy, but…eh." He shrugged. Kiku wanted to know what he meant by jealousy, but he didn't want to pry. "Anyway, are you hungry?"

"Oh, yes…a little."

"Great! I'm making breakfast, so I hope you enjoy!"

"What are you cooking? I have never smelled anything like that before."

"Oh, well since you're going to be my new neighbor, I decided to cook Mexican food, since that's what my parents always cook for special occasions…well at least for other people. I hope you don't mind."

"No not at all! I have…just never had Mexican food before…"

Manuel gasped dramatically. "NEVER?"

"N-No…never…"

"_Hijo de su madre_ then you're gonna taste everything I make okay?"

"Y-Yes…I will Manuel-san."

"Let's hope Alfredo doesn't eat everything first though, that fatass." He chuckled as he continued to cook. "He seems to get annoyed with me, but I'm his best friend. He can't help but like me and my Latin charm."

Kiku wondered why Manuel always denied he was related to Antonio if he acted similar to him. "Okay. I appreciate you cooking breakfast Manuel-san."

"It's no problem dude! _Se__ñ__ora_ Emily left this morning, and she didn't tell me much, so I'll take over the cooking." He stirred the Spanish rice with the large spoon. "…she looks bothered."

"Huh?"

"I mean…when I saw her, she looked like she had a lot on her mind. I asked if she was alright and she said she was fine. I didn't ask her anymore because I don't want her angry with me or something. She looked stressed…"

Kiku put the dirty cups in the sink and began to wash them. He stood quiet as Manuel continued to cook. He wondered if it was his fault Emily's mind was clouded. "Hey Kiku."

"Yes Manuel-san?"

"It's not you."

It was as if he read his thoughts. "What?"

Manuel smiled gently at him. "She's not upset about you living here. _Se__ñ__ora_ Emily can get angry at times, but it takes a lot for her to be _genuinely_ angry. You staying here is not counted in that 'a lot' part. If anything, she's happier. She likes to be surrounded by diversity, so that's why she moved here."

"How do you know?"

"She and my mom talk a lot, and the Jones always get invited to our parties since we're just right next door, so we know a lot about each other. We're pretty close. Ha ha, wanna hear something amusing?"

"Uhm, okay." Kiku sat down at the island since he had finished washing the dishes. Manuel continued to cook as he spoke, trying not to break his concentration.

"One time when both of our mothers were in the kitchen, they were talking about what charmed them about the other's family, and then somehow Alfred and I came up in the conversation. My mom said she wished I was taller like Alfred and more muscular…" He turned around. "I'm _not_ short okay? It's just that he grows too much! And I'm perfectly fine with being scrawny! It's not like I _don't_ have muscles! That Alfredo probably takes steroids or something to make himself get those biceps and abs!"

"Uhm, how do you know this Manuel-san...?"

"That's not important. What IS important is that I AM NOT SHORT OR FRAGILE."

"I believe you whole-heartedly Manuel-san."

"Thank you Kiku. You're the only one who understands. Anyway," he turned back around to continue cooking lest he burn something like Arthur. "then _Se__ñ__ora_ Emily said she wished Alfred was more suave and talented like me." It's as if Kiku could hear his ego inflating. _Perhaps Gilbert-san needs to have a different homeroom or ride on a different bus… His ego seems to be contagious...  
_

"But of course, this is true. I mean, Latin lovers are the best you know, and we've all got it."

"Uhm…"

"That's why that stupid Antonio has so many girls stalking him because he is THE Latin lover of our school, when he is a clueless and clumsy _imbecil_!"

"Uhm…"

"He doesn't notice girls stalking him or Francis trying to grope him in public, but he _somehow_ notices when I try to avoid him. How is that possible? I'm sure he won't notice if an anvil came outta nowhere and slammed onto his foot, but he'd notice me sitting as far away from him in the classroom as possible. Why damn it?!"

Kiku assumed Manuel forgot the entire point of his conversation as he continued to rant about his Spanish cousin.

"Uhm…Manuel-san…"

"Yes?"

"I think he just really cares about you. Antonio-san hasn't been one to care about himself before other people. He's a very family-oriented person from what I've heard."

"Yeah, maybe a little_ too_ much…" Manuel huffed. "Well, at least he has Lovino to keep him distracted." He stood quiet and then asked, "Is Alfredo still asleep?"

Kiku looked over to the living room and noticed Alfred was indeed still in a slumber. "Yes…he is… How can he sleep that much?"

"He's lazy, even more than me. If we eat breakfast before he wakes up, he's going to complain and blame everything on me. This can be fixed!" Manuel turned up the radio and nearly blasted mariachi music in the house, and smiled as he began to sing along to the words in Spanish.

"Won't he get upset?" Kiku tried to shout.

"He'll forgive me! He always gets angry but then calms down with my food! You'll see! Three, two, one…"

Sure enough, Kiku heard another voice angrily yell, "MANNY!"

"There he is," he said with a smirk.

Alfred barged into the kitchen like an angry bull as he glared at Manuel. "What the _hell_ do you think you're doing blasting that sombrero music, IN MY HOUSE nonetheless?! What are you even _doing_ in my house?! How'd you get in here?! Why do you have to be so Mexican?!"

"Good morning! And it's mariachi music by the way. Oh, and _bato_, I'm proud of my culture alright so don't hate. I don't ask _you_ why you're so American, now do I?"

"You didn't answer my ques—are you cooking?"

"Oh, yeah I am." He placed pots on the island. "It's nearly finished."

"Sweet, Mexican food for breakfast!" Alfred ran around looking for Matthew and found him outside. "Matt! We're having Mexican food for breakfast! And Manny made it!"

"Yes, I know-"

"Well come on don't just stand out there!"

"Alfred, I'm putting away these-"

"You're gonna miss out! Stop being so slow!" He ran back inside and Matthew sighed.

"You're the more mature twin. Remember Matthew _remember_."

* * *

"Manuel-san, I have never tasted something like this before," Kiku said with his eyes lit up.

"Ha ha! I take it you like what I made?"

"Y-Yes!"

"Thanks! Everybody loves Mexican food! Some of the best damn food in the world!"

"You should have made more," Alfred said with his mouth full.

"Nah, you just need to stop eating like half of what I cooked. There are three more people sitting at this table who are also hungry you know!"

Alfred ignored him as he continued to indulge himself in breakfast. Matthew looked at Manuel and asked, "How'd you make this?"

"Hmm? Oh, well I actually had to go back to my house to get some of the ingredients. My parents are gonna want to know what happened with the missing items though…"

"Manny, why are you always over here?" Alfred asked a little annoyed.

"My mom bought some freshly made _pan dulce_ last night."

"Make yourself at home bro!"

Manuel winked at Kiku, and mouthed the words, "I told you." Kiku chuckled and continued to eat his food.

"Kiku, for such a skinny dude, you sure do eat a lot!"

"I…have a large appetite…and this is the first time I have eaten this kind of food…"

"Ha ha, I'm not complaining! I'm glad you like my cooking!"

The four boys heard the door unlock and Emily came inside with bags of groceries. Instantly she began to sniff the air. "What is that smell?"

"Oh, hello _Señora_ Emily," Manuel greeted. "I hope you don't mind, but I started cooking since these three guys looked hungry and-"

"Cooking? Like Mexican food?"

"Yes, I made-"

"Can I have some? I'm hungry!"

"Oh, well sure! I actually saved some in case you came home early enough-"

"Yay! Manuel you're such a sweetheart!" She hugged him like a bear and then said, "Al, why can't you be charming like him?"

Alfred glared at Manuel who gave him a smug look in return. "I hate you."

"You'd die without me Alfredo."

* * *

"Well, this is the room you'll be staying in," Emily said as she opened the door to the storage room. "Er…it's messy…and we haven't cleaned in a while…b-but we'll get it done in no time! Uh, do you want a specific kind of paint for the walls?"

"It's fine Jones-san. White walls are fine, and plus, I don't want you spending that kind of money on me."

"Nonsense! White is boring! That's why I made Matt paint his room red! Al's is blue, and mine is yellow. Hey, how about green? Would you like that?"

"Green is a nice color."

"Great! Green it is! We'll go to the Home Depot this Friday for some paint. Hmm…you're gonna need a bed too and some other furniture…"

"N-No please don't trouble yourself! I can just bring the furniture from my aunt's house!"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes!"

"Oh, well okay then. We're still gonna need somebody with a truck… Oh, I'll figure that out later." Emily smiled at Kiku and then brushed his bangs away from his face, placing her hands on his shoulders. "I hope you're happy living here Kiku."

"Jones-san, the fact that you merely wanted to take me in made me very joyous to begin with."

"It was nothing Kiku. I hate to see people sad and distressed, and I didn't want you to feel like that, or be in danger because you don't have a home." She kissed the top of his head. "I may not be your legal guardian, but I'll still love you like you're my own son. To my boys, especially Alfred, you're very important, so they care a lot about you too. Ha ha, and Manuel is practically like my other son, so eventually…you two will get closer, and have yet another friend to count on. I'm sure Ludwig and Feliciano love you very much too, and I definitely know your cousins love you just as much. We won't let anything bad happen to you okay? We're here if you need anything."

Kiku's eyes began to water and Emily smiled sympathetically. "J-Jones-san…"

"You can cry if you want Kiku."

"N-No…I-I-I have finished m-my crying…" His shoulders began to shake, tears slowly falling from his face. Emily embraced him and pet his hair. "Like I said, we're here for you. Just because you made a choice that your uncle frowned upon, and some of your peers harassed you with, that doesn't mean everybody is like that. I could care less about your sexual preference, the color of your skin, your country of origin, if you think a tomato is a vegetable…it doesn't matter to me."

She let go of Kiku and he looked up at her gratefully. She wiped away his tears with her thumbs. "I hate to see this cute face so sad." She ruffled his hair. "I'll…try to be the best mother possible."

"I…already know you're a good mother. Alfred-san and Matthew-san always speak so highly of you."

"They do?"

"Yes, they are always saying how their mother is the best in the world and then Arthur-san comments that he can't see how Alfred-san is related to you, since he feels he is unpleasant at times."

Emily chuckled. "Now isn't that Arthur a sweetie. I wish I could say the same for his mother but that woman is hard to get along with often…" She pouted but then continued to smile at Kiku. "Love conquers everything Kiku. Remember that." She kissed him again on his head and then walked down the steps.

"For the time being, you can sleep in Alfred's room until your room is all fixed up. He doesn't mind being on the couch anyway."

"Thank you Jones-san."

She smiled and descended from the staircase, leaving Kiku to look at his room. It sure was big enough, just like his old room. He ran his hand along the door frame and smiled. "I hope I can get along with everyone here, and whoever else of their family and acquaintances I happen to meet. I will do my best."

"MANUEL!"

Kiku jumped and hid behind a wall near the staircase. He saw a woman come in from the front door. She was very beautiful and her long dark hair curled here and there, her red nails visible from where Kiku was at. She must have just gotten back from church by the way she was dressed.

"Ah Maria!" Emily said happily.

"Hello Emily. Is my trouble-maker son here?"

"Oh, yes, he's in the kitchen."

The woman by the name of Maria walked into the kitchen. "There you are!"

"M-Mama!"

"Why weren't you in the car this morning?"

"I-I-I slept in?"

"_Mentiroso!_ I can tell when you fib!"

"Okay…but mama I just-"

"Do you know how sad your _abuela_ is? She thinks you hate her because you're always disappearing on Sunday mornings! You know she's happy when she goes to church, but she's not as happy if her grandson isn't there!"

"I-I-I know…"

"Then why don't you do something about it?"

"But…it's just…it's kinda boring…"

"_Excuse me?_"

"Uhm…" Manuel was at a loss for words. Alfred was sitting in his chair in the background, his arms crossed and a smirk stretched out on his face. He loved to see Manuel get scolded by his Amazon-Spartan mother.

"You know…it's very embarrassing to be yelled at in somebody else's house…"

"Would you rather us go back to ours so there are no witnesses?"

"_¡Ay dios mio!_ Why are you so angry?! Didn't you just get back from church?"

"Manuel Antonio De la Cruz Sanchez, don't _ever_ use that tone of voice with me. Do you understand?"

"Y-Yes mama…"

"Whatever happened to that adorable little boy who would pick me flowers from our own garden? Now you're a punk! Why can't you be more like Antonio?"

"Because he's stupid and oblivious and just STUPID. He is too clingy and affectionate! And he always wants to be around me!"

"And what is wrong with wanting to be around you?"

"Nothing! It's just…it's just HIM. And if you like him so much, then you should take him into our household instead! He's always visiting us anyway!"

Maria looked like she wanted to blow a gasket but she took a deep breath and calmed down, and then said, "Next time, don't skip Sunday church."

"Mama, if you force people to do stuff, they're going to eventually hate it. I think it's better if I go when I feel like it, because I know _abuela_ will be sad if I end up hating it."

"Yes and when you feel like it, she'll already be on her deathbed I bet."

"Don't say such morbid things!"

Maria shook her head and then turned to Emily. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to cause a scene or anything…"

"Ah, no it's fine."

"You're probably already used to it huh, since I always come over here and find Manny slacking off…" She looked over to the table and saw Alfred sitting down. "Oh, good afternoon Alfred!"

"Hey Mrs. Sanchez, good afternoon! You look hotter today than usual. Did you buy a new blouse?"

Maria laughed. "You are so sweet Alfred! No, I didn't. I just haven't worn this one in a while. But my, it seems like you have grown again!" She turned to her son. "Manuel, why can't you be tall like Alfred?"

"Dang you're the one who made me! Why don't you and papa tell ME the answer!"

Kiku had moved to hiding behind the wall near the kitchen and chuckled at Manuel's response. Maria turned around and said, "Is there somebody else here? I thought I heard something like giggling."

"Oh, yes!" Emily responded. "He's probably just hiding since he's shy. You can come out now!"

The Japanese boy was surprised that Maria could hear him from where he was standing, but he came out nonetheless, albeit a bit sheepish. He was afraid he'd get the same treatment as Manuel, but Maria smiled warmly at him. "Who is this adorable child Emily?"

"This is Kiku Honda, Alfred's friend from school."

"Well it's nice to meet you Kiku!" She held out her hand. "I'm Maria Guadalupe De la Cruz Sanchez, and I suppose you already know my rambunctious son Manuel. You're such a cutie! Alfred seems to be lucky with his friends!"

"H-Hello Sanchez-san. It's a pleasure to meet you." He shook her hand in greeting.

"Oh! So you're…ah I apologize!" She became flustered.

"Uhm, did I do something wrong?"

"No I'm the one who did!" She blushed out of embarrassment. "I-I-I thought you were a girl!"

Kiku's eyes widened and Emily looked concerned, remembering what Cheng had told her yesterday. Manuel raised an eyebrow while the Jones twins stood quiet in the background.

"Mama how could you think Kiku is a girl?"

"H-He is just so cute I-I-I thought—oh I'm so sorry! _Perdoname_!" She looked stressed. "Wow my first impression was _horrible_! I will never be able to get over this!"

"Please Sanchez-san, calm down! I forgive you! It's an honest mistake!" He himself looked stressed trying to calm down an even more stressed woman.

"But…I called you a girl!"

"Yes but you didn't know! It's fine!" He smiled. "I accept your apology. I'm used to being mistaken for a girl on first impression, but even if it wasn't something considered the norm in my life, I'd still forgive you."

"Oh, you're too kind Kiku. I'm terribly sorry. I'll make you some flan as a gift and I'll bring it over later okay? You'll like flan. It's good."

"Can I have some flan?"

"No Manuel, you're punished today. You're going to clean the entire kitchen."

"May I have some flan?" asked Alfred.

"Of course you can _guapo_. I'll make some flan for you too, and your brother! Speaking of which, where is he?"

"Uhm, Mrs. Sanchez I've been sitting here the entire time…"

"Goodness I didn't see you there! Matthew, you're so quiet. It's a nice change from my son's loud way of speaking. Emily would you like some flan?"

"Yes I'd love some!"

"Great! I'll go home and make it then."

"Hey why does Alfred get flan but not me, your own son?" Manuel complained.

"Because he is a young man who listens to his mother, unlike some other sons I happen to know of."

Manuel glared at Alfred, who only waved mockingly. He turned back to his mother and said, "I already cleaned the entire kitchen here!"

"And why did you do that?"

"He made breakfast for us," Matthew said. "It was very delicious."

"Manuel you cooked?"

"Yes. I then washed everything I used and cleaned up where I had cooked and eaten, even the floor too!"

"Did Emily ask you to do this?"

Emily smiled. "No, I didn't. He asked if _he_ could do it actually."

"I am impressed Manuel. Fine, you're not punished then, but the next time you pull this stunt, there will be consequences." Maria turned back to Emily. "Well I must get going. Things to do around the house you know, plus I got to make that flan! I'll see you all later! Come Manuel."

"Yes mama…"

As she walked past Kiku, she said, "It was a pleasure meeting you. Are you visiting on the weekends?"

"Uhm…n-no…"

"Oh, so do you come by on Sundays?"

"Actually…I live here…"

Maria raised an eyebrow and looked at Emily. "Did you have another child with a Japanese man years ago and if you did, why wasn't I told about this?"

Emily laughed heartily. "No, I didn't. Kiku is going to be living with my boys and me from now on. He's Chun-Yan's nephew from Japan."

"Oh so this is the cutie I heard about! But why is he living here now?" The room got quiet and then Maria frowned. "It's not…for a good reason is it…?"

"No…" Emily responded. She looked over at Kiku and he gave her a reassuring expression, letting her know it was fine if she told people the story.

"Kiku…was kicked out of his home by his uncle…"

"What? Why on earth would he do that?"

"…because he found out Kiku was homosexual."

Maria had a shocked look on her face and Kiku looked at the ground, rubbing his arm out of nervousness. He was afraid of what Maria would say since Manuel had told him the Sanchez family was Catholic and how more severe it'd be if he were taken in by that family instead by some miracle.

"A parent or guardian should be arrested for doing something like that."

Kiku looked up at Maria and saw that her face had turned serious. She continued to speak. "A relative should never turn away from a child because of something like this. It's very dangerous to the child because so many things can go wrong, usually ending up with the child's life expiring. I'm sorry Kiku…"

"It's…fine. Uhm, but thank you for…saying that Sanchez-san."

"It's true though. Emily, it's very amazing what you're doing. I really respect that."

"Thank you."

"Well Kiku, I guess this means you're our new neighbor. Now I _have_ to make flan for you!" She chuckled to herself. "Emily is a very kind person, so you're in good hands here. Plus, Alfred and Matthew are pleasant young men too. If Manuel gives you any problems, let me know and I'll punish him accordingly."

Manuel's eye twitched. "Mama, I am _not _going to harass him. I knew about this since yesterday! And I have nothing against homosexual people okay?"

"Then you should be nice to poor Antonio! He really cares about you and wants to become closer to you too!"

"Antonio isn't gay, even if it seems that way! He's just overly affectionate and too touchy-feely!"

"Then like him!"

"Every time I compliment him or show him even the slightest way of caring about him, he gets all giddy and makes that face and says 'Buhyoo ~ !' and then starts hugging me and cuddling me in his arms! Do you know how embarrassing and weird that looks?"

"You know Antonio really loves you, right? You're his favorite cousin."

"Yes mama…I know… I just wish he wouldn't be so open about it…"

"Manuel…_hijo_, you need to stop being so bitter about what happened."

"I'm over it okay? It's just that everybody else isn't."

"_Mijo_…nobody could ever get over what happened to you…even those who know… And if somebody else were in your situation…they'd never get over it for as long as they live…"

"…well I am alright? What's done is done, and I'd rather not remember it…"

"Antonio just-"

"Antonio just feels guilty because he wasn't there for me when it happened, but was instead with Lovino and Feliciano. Now he can't live with himself. That's why I believe now at this age, he's being a lot more in my face and affectionate with me because he's trying to make up for what he didn't do back then. Well I'm not gonna have any of that. I'm sorry mama, but I'm not."

Kiku noticed that Manuel sounded highly upset and there were probably very dire secrets about him he didn't know. He looked over to the Jones family and they seemed just as baffled as him.

Manuel looked serious as he spoke. "That Spanish _idiota_ was my favorite cousin too mama, and I did really love and care about him. Why did that change? Antonio said he'd always be there for me, but when he met the Vargas brothers, it was like I didn't even exist, and then _that_ happened. Now he feels like crap because of what happened to me so he's trying to make up for it at this age, but I already lost faith in him a long time ago. Nothing he can do will ever make me believe in him again, like I used to when I was little."

Alfred was dying to know what event Manuel was talking about. Yes, it was a true and known fact that the Mexican boy was Alfred's best friend, but there were a few things Alfred tried asking about, and Manuel would always give him a vague answer. He didn't want to pry into his friend's past, because whenever he'd ask what exactly happened that made him dislike Antonio so much, or when anybody asked him really, he'd first have a horror-stricken look, probably from remembering what happened, and then he'd get upset and defensive, so nobody ever found out, not even the American.

"Manuel," Maria began. "I didn't know you felt that way…"

"Well now you do mama… I may have gotten over what happened to me, but not what Antonio _didn't_ do."

"Why don't you talk to him about it?"

"What good will that do? He's tried talking to me about it, but I won't hear it. Call me a stubborn jackass, but I don't care what excuse or reason that _cabr__ó__n_ tries to tell me. I'll never forgive him, and nobody can ever make me forgive him."

"Manuel, don't use such language!"

"Sorry, I'm just in a bad mood now…" He looked at Emily and said, "Thank you for letting me cook here."

"You're welcome. Your food was delicious."

"Thanks." He looked at Alfred and Matthew and said, "I'll see you guys tomorrow at the bus stop, okay?"

"Okay Manny," Alfred said gently.

"We'll be there when you are."

He nodded and then looked at Kiku, with a small smile. "And I guess I'll see you too there now huh? I look forward to it. You'll be one of the first people on the bus. See you tomorrow Kiku."

"Yes, have a nice rest of the day Manuel-san."

The teen walked out of the house and to his own home, Maria watching him enter their abode. Kiku noticed she looked very sad and very motherly as she sighed. _"Mi pobre hijo_…" She turned to the Jones and Kiku, and said, "Well I better get going. I'll bring that flan over okay?"

"Okay, I can't wait to eat it," Emily said.

Maria managed a smile and then closed the door softly. Kiku looked at Alfred and asked, "What happened to Manuel-san? I have never seen him so…hurt. He's usually a happy person."

"I wish I knew Kiku," Alfred responded. "Every time I ask Manny, he changes the subject and if I go back to my question, he gets upset. I guess it's just one of those things that, when he feels ready, he'll tell me."

"Oh, well I hope it's nothing too serious."

"Me too."

Kiku knew he was going to see a lot more of Manuel since he lived in the Jones residence now, but that only made him even more curious for the story of the boy's past that he refused to tell anyone about. _It's best if I not pry or ask Antonio-san to tell me. Like Alfred-san said, when he feels ready, Manuel-san will let his friends know about this thing that happened to him. I just hope it isn't anything serious._

* * *

It felt weird getting up early in someone else's home. Kiku made sure to be the first one dressed on Monday morning so the other residents of the house could have the bathroom to themselves.

He decided to cook breakfast since he had time. He heard Emily come down the stairs.

"Oh geez late _again_! I need to go to sleep earlier!" She passed by the entrance to the kitchen already fully dressed and noticed Kiku setting the table. "Kiku you're up!"

"Yes, I was the first one awake. I made breakfast for everyone."

"You're such a sweetheart! Unfortunately I'm late as it is, so I won't be able to eat! It smells and looks really good though!"

"Oh! Uhm, well I thought about that scenario, so I made you lunch instead." He handed her a bag and she looked inside.

"Kiku this lunch looks delicious too!"

"Yes uhm, I wouldn't want you to go hungry and I know that over time eating out can get costly, so I made you that lunch which…uhm, I hope tastes just as good as restaurant food, and I mean, now I'm living here so you have another expense to think about, and I wouldn't want you to stress over financial issues and-"

Emily kissed his forehead and smiled. "Thank you Kiku. I'll eat every last crumb. You're so thoughtful and kind!"

He blushed. "Uhm…thank you."

"And don't think you're just another mouth to feed. You're family now, and I don't think of my family that way." She grabbed her coat and her purse and picked up the keys from the tray on the hallway table.

"Well I'm off to work. I should be home around five-thirty or so. If I'm not, Matthew will usually start dinner. Oh, and I fed the dogs already too. Have a great day at school Kiku!"

"Thank you Jones-san. You have a great day at work as well."

Emily grinned and then stepped out the front door. Kiku smiled, feeling welcomed and loved in his new home. "I could never be grateful enough for what Jones-san did for me. Even though I am family to her and she tells me not to worry, I must still do my best to help around the house however I can, whenever I can."

"Kiku, you cooked breakfast?"

The boy turned around and saw Alfred standing in the doorway, dressed already for the day. Kiku smiled at him. "Good morning Alfred-san. Uhm, yes, I cooked breakfast. I thought that you would be hungry, so I made some since I usually wake up very early. Please, eat. Breakfast is important, especially when one has school. I have already eaten, so this is for you and Matthew-san."

"Wow, this looks great and smells great too!" He sat down and served himself. "Mm, and it tastes great, just like I thought it would! Wow, two good cooks in a row! Thanks Kiku!"

"You're welcome Alfred-san. It's my pleasure."

* * *

The Jones twins and Kiku walked to the bus stop and sure enough, Manuel and his sisters were already there waiting. The Mexican boy smiled when he saw them walking in their direction.

"Hey guys! Good morning!" His sisters also greeted the three as they met up.

Kiku was relieved to see Manuel happy again, as if what happened yesterday was erased from history.

"Morning Manny!"

"Good morning."

"Good morning Manuel-san."

The bus came shortly and the six students got inside. It also felt strange riding the bus when it was nearly empty.

"Hey Kiku!" Alfred said. "Want to sit next to me?"

"Uhm, but Matthew-san usually sits next to you."

"I don't mind moving Kiku," Matthew said with a smile. "I'll sit next to Manuel, if that's alright with you Alicia."

"Oh go ahead!" she responded. "Manny's annoying me anyway."

"Yeah, he's annoying me as well," Eva said.

Manuel sat down in his usual seat, hands behind his head. "Be nice to your big brother who drives you around to get your damn nails and toes done, your eyebrows and mustache waxed, and suffers through Antonio's non-stop blabber mouth while you go shopping at Target to pick up your feminine pads or whatever when you're on your rag."

"MANNY!" his sisters shouted with red faces as Alfred and Matthew stared at the girls, a bit embarrassed themselves. Manuel gave a hearty laugh.

"Like I said, don't be mean to your _hermano_!"

The sisters went to their seat grumbling while Matthew sat down next to Manuel, and Kiku joined Alfred.

"You can sit on the window seat side Kiku. That's the best seat!"

"Oh, thank you Alfred-san."

The bus began to drive away and Kiku fidgeted with his fingers. Alfred looked at him. "What's wrong?"

"Everybody is going to ask why I'm here… They're going to want to know the reason for me being at that bus stop. I don't know what to tell anyone if they ask. I mean…I know that…my secret was revealed, but they don't know the situation I'm in and-"

"You don't have to say anything. I'll take care of it, don't worry."

Sure enough, he did. As the large yellow vehicle picked up the rest of the students, whenever somebody would ask Kiku why he was there so early, Alfred would change the subject to a topic so indulging that they forgot to re-ask Kiku the initial question. Yao smiled as he observed Alfred throwing everybody off with other things whenever they asked Kiku why he was sitting there. "Thank you Alfred," he said softly to himself in his own seat.

Kiku smiled as others around his and Alfred's seat struck up conversation, mostly Arthur and Manuel since they were closest. Francis would look lewdly at Kiku and comment on how adorable he was and other things it was best not to mention, which ended up with Arthur's fist connecting with the French boy's gut and a long lecture about keeping perverted thoughts to oneself.

The short boy felt happy then, as he sat next to his American friend who would always include Kiku in whatever conversation he had with others around him. He would call him his buddy or his pal, and that made Kiku happy. He felt wanted, he felt comfortable, and he felt loved.

He smiled as he looked out the window at the passing cars. _Even though what my uncle did to me wasn't the right thing to do, I'm glad he did, because now I'm someplace where I feel genuinely happy even after two days, and I'm with people who accept me for who I chose to be._

Kiku glanced at Alfred who was busy speaking with somebody from the back, and the shorter of the two looked admiringly up at the other. He turned back to the window and watched the scenery pass by.

_Thank you Alfred-san._

* * *

A/N: Lol I decided to keep author's notes towards the end of my chapters for the most part. I don't know. I'm sure you guys don't want to hear my rambles in the beginning but get straight to the contents of the new chapters instead. xD Well, pieces of people's pasts are revealing themselves, and the full stories to each will be made known in the future. Sorry that this chapter was kinda more Manuel-centric. I tried to make him amusing so you guys wouldn't get bored. D: You're probably wondering, "Woman, this is an Ameripan story. Where is the fluff!" It will happen in bits and pieces my wonderful children! I don't like to rush relationships! Good things come to those who wait, as they say. Alfred and Kiku will get their limelight together in due time, as will other couples I wanted to put in here as well. :3 Translations!

_estupido_: stupid  
_abuela_: grandmother  
_amigo_: friend  
_Hijo de su madre_: Literally is "son of a mother". LOL It's used sometimes in place of "Ay dios mio" which is "Oh my God". It does not mean "son of a bitch". That one is "hijo de puta".  
_imbecil_: imbecile  
_bato_: The literal translation is "simpleton" but I heard it meant "dude" also... Either way, it works when Manny is speaking with Alfred ha ha!  
_mentiroso_: liar, the masculine form of the word. Female is "mentirosa".  
_Perdoname_: Forgive me  
_guapo_: handsome  
_mijo_: "son" or "my son". I think it's actually supposed to be spelled "m'ijo" since it's short for "mi hijo" but...eh.  
_idiota_: idiot  
_cabrón_: fucker (Note: I learn a lot of Spanish curse words from peers.)  
_mi pobre hijo_: My poor son  
_hermano_: brother

So I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Today is February 11th, which is Kiku's birthday, so happy birthday Kiku Honda! I hope you guys have a pleasant Valentine's Day! And thanks guys for your reviews! They make me really happy! I hope you can continue to enjoy this story as it progresses! ;w;


	10. Hemoglobin

Ch 10: Hemoglobin

The weather had finally begun to get warmer, something Alfred was really happy about. Of course Matthew knew what would happen because of this: it'd start to get warm in the spring, but by summer his older twin would start complaining about the heat. He hoped that this year the sun would be merciful during June, July, and August. For now though, the younger twin decided to enjoy the wonderful spring weather of April.

"Man I'm so excited!" Alfred said as he put away his books before lunch.

"Why?" Matthew asked.

"Spring break is next week! Five whole days without school! I can finally rest!"

"Well it's going to be a bit boring, don't you think Al?"

"Nah, we deserve it bro!"

Kiku walked up to them after returning his things to his own locker. "I assume that you love spring break Alfred-san?"

"Yep! I love any vacation because I can do whatever I want! I don't have to worry about homework or anything!"

The three began to walk to the cafeteria before it started to get crowded.

"So Alfred-san, what do you usually do on your spring break?"

"Oh well Matt and I go camping with mom for an entire week, and even our other friends come along too! Everyone who hangs out at the table joins us during spring break up in the mountains so we can all have fun!"

"Ah, I see. So that is why Yao and the others were never home during that time."

"What do you mean Kiku?" Matthew asked. "You don't go anywhere during break?"

"No, I stay at home. My uncle doesn't like to go, so he stood at home with me, but we hardly ever talked. I was in my room and he was at work, and he'd go have dinner at a friend's house, so I'd be by myself."

"Well this year Kiku," Alfred said as they headed toward their table with trays of lunch. "You're going camping with us too!"

"You really want me to go?"

"Of course! You should enjoy the outdoors and not always be holed up in your room! It'll be fun. I promise!"

The three were the first to arrive at the table, and shortly the rest of their friends gathered. Feliciano was the first one to greet them. "Good afternoon everyone ~ !"

"Afternoon Feli!"

"Hey hey heyyyy Alfred, we're going camping again right?"

"Of course!"

"Yay! Well I already made a list of what I'm going to take. See?"

Feliciano handed him a wrinkled paper. His writing was neat and small, so it was easy to read.

"Feli, a lot of this is pasta…"

"Yeah I know!"

"…so where's everything else?"

"Oh well…I haven't decided on everything else… I just wrote down the kind of pasta we might need!"

"Feliciano," Ludwig began. "Don't you think we should eat things other than pasta at the trip?"

"…but pasta is delicious…"

"Yes I know, but it isn't exactly campfire food."

"Don't worry Ludwig," Alfred said. "We're going to bring burgers and hot dogs! And then we can make smores and we'll catch fish and then we can cook those too!"

"Well good. I'd hate to have to eat those blasted burgers again." Arthur said.

"Then you can starve Arthur. It's not like you bring anything anyway, so you shouldn't complain!"

"What are you talking about? My family is the one who brings the tables and chairs! Without those, you'd be eating standing up you know."

"Yeah yeah." Alfred turned to Kiku. "So Kiku, since this is the first time you're going to go camping with us, is there anything you'd like to do?"

"Oh…uhm…" Being the center of attention made him flustered. "W-Well I have never been camping, so I don't know what there is to do over there…"

"You've never been camping?"

"N-No…"

"Man Kiku, you really were deprived of a life! Well buddy, don't you worry." He slung an arm over his shoulder. "I'm the one who plans out what we're going to be doing, so I'll talk to mom about it. You're going to have a lot of fun!"

"I-I-I hope so…"

"As a change of topic," Francis said. "Is anybody donating blood tomorrow? We're having a blood drive you know."

"No, not me," Ivan replied sadly. "I don't like donating blood, because it puts me on edge and…doesn't allow me to think straight."

"I can never donate because I'm always underweight," Yao said in annoyance. "I have been trying to load up on pounds these past couple of weeks so I'm allowed inside this time!"

"Well I like donating blood, because then they give you free food after and a big sticker!" Alfred exclaimed. "So I'm gonna do it tomorrow. I think I'll get out of math class again. Kiku are you going?"

"Uhm…I don't know…"

"You should try! Go during the time when I'm going: math class! It's a good strategy since then you'll need energy, which is what lunch time is for, which is why I'm going during Mr. Jenkins' class! It's not like I want to skip on purpose."

Matthew was going to say something but decided to keep it to himself. "We'll have to skip baseball practice too though. The nurses always exempt the athletes from practice after school because they donated blood, and it could be dangerous if they exercise."

"Damn I forgot about that… Do you think Coach will get upset?"

"No, I don't think so since she donates blood too."

"Great! Then there is no problem! Alright Kiku, so what do you say?"

"Uhm…w-well I don't know…"

"You'll be doing a good thing for humanity and it feels good to donate too!"

"W-Well alright then. I guess…I shall try it."

"Awesome!"

* * *

It took a while for Alfred to convince Mr. Jenkins to let him leave class for the blood drive, but in the end he gave in, seeing as how, "I don't think you'll pay attention today anyway so don't disrupt my class and leave instead."

Matthew and Kiku followed Alfred since they were in the same class, and then Arthur decided to leave too. The four of them walked to the gym where the donations were being held.

"There are a lot of people here this time," Matthew said. "I wonder how long this will take?"

"Who knows?" Arthur said, sitting down on the bleachers. "The good thing is that we had filled out our paperwork in the morning and handed it in to the volunteer assistants, so we shouldn't have to wait as long."

"Ah I see you came after all mon cher ~"

Francis walked up to them, his left arm wrapped in blue bandage.

"Francis you donated already?" Alfred said. "Why didn't you wait for us?"

"Alfred, these things you can't wait for. The sooner you donate blood, the sooner somebody's life can be saved."

"You have a point…"

"I see Arthur decided to donate this year."

"Of course I did. I wasn't about to let you guys rub it in my face that you donated blood and I'm a horrible person because I didn't help save a life."

Alfred laughed. "Some imagination you have! Anyway, I hope Kiku gets to sit next to me!"

"Uhm…it looks painful though…" he replied timidly. Looking at the students donating blood on the stretchers, he felt a bit light-headed.

"Hey Fran," Gilbert said walking up to his French bestie, a red bandage around his arm. "You wanna leave now or what?"

"No, I'll stay here and keep our little English friend company."

"Sweet I'll stay with you!"

They both sat on opposite sides of Arthur, who looked displeased. "You guys can leave. I don't need you around."

"Nonsense. I have a feeling you might. Oh Gilbert, how is Antonio?"

"Ah, well he's still fussing over Manny."

"Manny?" Alfred said worriedly. "What happened?"

"Well you see, after Manny donated blood, he felt faint so he had to lie down, and then Toni got all concerned so he's over there yonder by Manny's side, as if he were at his deathbed. I swear, Toni is too motherly sometimes…"

"What about Lovino?"

"Oh, Lovino is over there at the table pigging out on the snacks like Feli is. Surprisingly neither of them felt faint when they donated, and I was sure they'd be the first ones to knock out. The nurses took great care of them and made sure the needle hurt as little as possible. I think it's because they have some like magic charm shit that makes women like them in an instant."

"Gilbert-san, there is no such thing as magic though," Kiku said, not noticing how appalled Arthur's face looked. "I think it's because Feliciano-kun and Lovino-san are…well just good with talking to women."

He shrugged. "Maybe."

One of the nurses called Matthew and he walked over to the front table, where he was led away for a questionnaire with a doctor. Alfred couldn't sit still and wanted to be next already. Unluckily for him, Arthur went next, Francis and Gilbert betting that he was going to be the next one to faint from blood loss. They then went over to Antonio to see if he wanted to join in. The American was left with Kiku.

"I really hope we get placed next to each other…"

"I-I-I do too… Uhm, I have never done this so…I don't know what to expect and…"

"Aww Kiku, are you scared?"

"Wh-What? N-No I am not afraid!"

"It's okay if you're scared. I was a little scared the first time I did this too. Well with my charms, I'll see if I can sweet-talk the nurses into letting you lay beside me."

Kiku watched him as he got up when his name was called. He was then left alone to wait for his turn. He looked around the gym and hoped he wouldn't be one of those people who fainted.

After such a thought, his name was called and he was escorted by one of the nurses to what seemed like a booth.

"Hello!" she greeted warmly.

"H-Hello. Good afternoon."

"Good afternoon to you too." She looked at his application and then said, "Okay Mr. Honda, now if you'll just step on this weight scale, we'll get started."

Kiku stood on the scale and was afraid to look down. The nurse recorded the number on his application and then said, "You're in luck. You just barely made it past the weight requirement for the blood drive. You're sure a light boy!"

"Yes, I figured as much. It is because I have a small frame…"

"Well you're still cute nonetheless."

"Th-Thank you."

"Now then, I'll just check your blood. Give me your ring finger. That's the one I like to use. This might sting for a second."

Kiku flinched when a needle hit his finger. The nurse checked his blood on a small machine, while he covered his 'wound' with a piece of cotton.

"Okay your blood is good too! Now I'm just going to have you answer some questions on this little computer here, and then you're all set!"

"Alright."

The nurse left the booth and Kiku sat down in the seat in front of the computer. It asked him questions about his health and he answered all of them honestly, for this was a serious matter and he didn't want to end up being a person who was the cause for another's demise.

"_Question eighteen. Skip if female. Have you ever had sex with another male before?_"

He stared at the question and blushed. "S-Such a thing to ask a student… I-I-I would never do that, even though…my romantic preference…" He shook his head and clicked "No."

The nurse came back just as he finished answering the last question. "All done Mr. Honda?"

"Yes, I have finished answering everything."

"Good good! Now follow me please."

She led him to a stretcher that had been vacant, and he nervously lay down on it. "Another nurse will be right with you, okay?"

"Okay."

He stared up at the ceiling, feeling as if he was going to be operated on. A voice called out to him from his right. "Don't worry Kiku."

The Japanese boy turned to the voice and was surprised that it was Alfred. "Alfred-san?"

"Ha ha, surprised? See, I told you I'd work things out!"

"But how did you-"

"The Jones Charm! Nobody can resist that!"

"Oh, I see…" He looked closer and saw that Alfred was already in the process of the donation. "Does it…hurt?"

"Huh? Oh, no it doesn't hurt. I might have a sore spot tomorrow though, but it doesn't hurt. I just don't want to look at the bag of blood otherwise I'll scream ha ha!"

Another nurse came by and told Kiku what she was going to do. He tried not to look as she set the needle on his arm, but once everything was done, he managed to glance at his arm which was wrapped, holding the needle in place, the tube leading down to the bag of blood at the bottom of the stretcher.

"See, it wasn't so bad right?" Alfred said. "And then when you're done, you can choose what color bandage you want! Are you going to get pink?"

"Uhm…they have that color?"

"Yup!"

"W-Well I don't know since…"

"It won't look weird. Besides, other guys are wearing pink bandage. They don't care. I'll even wear one so you don't feel weird."

"N-No that's fine Alfred-san."

"Are you sure?"

"Y-Yes."

"Well okay then."

Kiku lay in silence, noticing Alfred occupied himself with his iPod, his eyes closed with a smile on his face. He wondered what he was thinking about, if the lyrics weren't getting to him that is. He also wondered what it'd be like to go on a camping trip. He didn't like being out in the wilderness, but he was sure there were campsites or some places where it was mostly safe to stay. The small young man was drifting off to sleep after a while, until somebody tapped his shoulder gently. He opened his eyes and looked up at the nurse.

"Okay, you're all finished!" Carefully she took out the needle and gave Kiku a piece of medicated cotton, telling him to put pressure where the needle was so he didn't continue to bleed. He watched as the nurse took the bags of blood and handed them to another nurse. He couldn't believe he donated so much, and wondered just exactly how much blood the human body was capable of holding.

"So which color would you like?" she asked. Kiku looked at the selection and hesitantly said, "Pink is fine…"

"Okay then."

After his arm was wrapped, he turned to his right to see if Alfred was there, but noticed he was gone and instead had left to the table with snacks. Kiku slowly got off the stretcher and headed over to him, but not before receiving a small paper from the nurse.

"Hey Kiku!" Alfred greeted, cookies in his mouth. Matthew was sitting right next to him. He noticed that the twins got their favorite colors, white and red, for their bandages.

"Hello Alfred-san, Matthew-san."

"So how was it?" asked the younger twin.

"Uhm, it was okay I suppose. I feel a bit…frail though."

"You need to eat. Here." He pulled up a chair and Kiku sat down next to him. Alfred handed him some snacks, which Kiku ate timidly.

"Alfred-san, do you know what this paper is for?"

"Huh? Oh, that you give to that guy over there, and he'll give you a sticker and a free movie ticket!"

"R-Really?"

"Yeah, and something about a scholarship or whatever."

Kiku walked over to the man, who handed him everything Alfred said he would. The boy didn't care so much for the sticker or the movie ticket, but was interested in what the scholarship offer had to say. He put all three things in his pocket and sat back down.

"So, where is Arthur-san?"

"Ha ha, well guess what? He did faint after all! He's over there on the floor, cussing out Francis and Gilbert."

Sure enough, Arthur was lying down, looking exhausted, but apparently had enough energy to shriek profanities at the French and German student. Gilbert just laughed and told him to get over it, and Francis merely smirked.

Kiku saw Antonio walking over to the table, with Manuel by his side, the Spanish boy supporting his cousin by the shoulder. The latter sat down and groaned, his head in his hands, Antonio pulling up a chair and babying him like he always did.

"Manny here, drink this juice. Oh and here are some cookies! You'll feel better if you eat something!"

"I'm fine…"

"But you fainted and I don't want you to faint again later! I'll cry if you do!"

"_Idiota_, didn't you hear me? I said I'm fine…"

"Manny…why can't you love me?!"

"Don't start that again!"

Alfred laughed and said, "Come on Manny, don't be mean to Antonio."

"I don't like that he's treating me like a baby though!"

"But you'll always be my baby cousin Manny!"

"_Pendejo_, I'm only a year younger than you are!"

"I still count that as being my baby cousin."

"Augh…"

"Today when we get home, I'll make you something healthy to eat, and I'll bring it to you in bed. You should go to sleep early today, okay?"

"Why…?" Manuel asked looking up at the ceiling, shaking his fists.

Matthew smiled. "Antonio is just being nice Manuel."

"But I really don't want to deal with him when I don't feel good…"

"That's why I'm dealing with you, so you can feel good later!" Antonio hugged him. "I wouldn't want my _Manuelito_ to go to the hospital or anything."

"Damn it don't you know when people don't want you around? Go hang out with Lovi or something!"

"But you're the one who needs attention right now, not Lovi."

"Oh, so then if both of us fainted, you'd be with Lovi instead huh?"

"Manuel…"

"No I see how it is. History repeats itself." Manuel looked away and crossed his arms, obviously upset.

"You just said you didn't want me babying you, and yet you come out with this?"

"Because you know it's true."

"Manuel, first you don't want me to be around you, but whenever it deals with Lovino, then you become hurt. Why?"

The Mexican boy stood quiet and continued to sport a frown. Antonio was silent and seemed sad yet a bit frustrated at the same time. He sighed and got up, walking over to the Vargas brothers.

"See? I knew it. You always prefer him. Things are never going to change."

Antonio looked back but Manuel just glared at him. Kiku could see the genuine sadness in the Spanish boy's green eyes, but he said nothing in return and sat down to join the Italians.

"Manny, what was that all about?" Alfred asked.

"Nothing."

"I mean…usually Toni is happy but…I think what you said really hurt him this time."

"Manuel, why are you so harsh with him? He really does love you, you know…" Matthew said with sadness in his own expression.

"Tch. No he doesn't. He's just trying to make up for back then."

"Manuel-san, I think that…when it comes to Antonio-san, you are basically a _tsundere._"

He looked at Kiku with a raised eyebrow. "…the hell is a _tsundere?_"

"Oh…uhm, well you see…"

"A _tsundere_ is like a person who's a dick but at the same time can be super nice genuinely too. Basically, a _tsundere_ is a person like Arthur!" Alfred grinned, Kiku shocked that he actually knew what that word meant.

"But I'm _not_ like Arthur."

"Oh, yeah you're not, except the _tsundere_ part when it comes to Toni. So then…you would be a Type B _tsundere!_ Right Kiku?"

The Japanese boy still couldn't register what was happening. "Uhm, y-yes."

"I have no idea what the hell a _tsundere_ Type B even _is_ you two…"

"Uhm, w-well let me explain it further Manuel-san. A _tsundere_ is a type of person who has a tough outer shell but a soft center. They alternate between being harsh or angry, and gentle and sweet. There are two types of a _tsundere._ A is the type where they are _tsundere_ all the time and switch from harsh to sweet repeatedly, like Arthur-san and Lovino-san. The B types however only have their harsh side triggered when they interact with those they hold affection for, and can be sweet to them too under the proper circumstances. You tend to fall under this type. So…a _tsundere_ is basically a bitter-sweet person I suppose."

"Well I don't hold affection for that _estupido_ Antonio, okay?"

"See Manny you're doing it again! Denial of feeliiiiings ~ !"

"I am not denying anything Alfredo!"

* * *

The Jones Twins and Kiku felt a bit exhausted because of the blood drive, so they were quiet during the ride home on the school bus. In fact, most of the students were feeling tired.

"I think I'll go job hunting after spring break," Alfred said to Kiku.

"Job hunting?"

"Yeah. Summer's coming and all, so we need to get summer jobs. I really want to get a job like, at the movie theaters! Matt wants to get a job at a bookstore. Pfft."

"Hey I'll get discounts and then you can buy your…comics or whatever for less!"

"Oh yeah that's true."

"So you only look for employment in the summer?"

"Yeah. Mom doesn't want us loafing around at home doing nothing for like two months, so she says summer is the only time when we can get jobs, which is good I guess since I don't have to worry about schoolwork or anything. You still going to work in the summer?"

"Uhm, yes I think so."

Kiku heard a moan from behind his seat so he turned around and asked, "Are you alright Arthur-san? You had fainted at the blood drive."

"I'm fine Kiku. It's just that now I am going to bloody murder these three buffoons over here…"

"Oh now don't blame this on us. You were the one who wanted to donate _mon cher_. We did not force you to do anything."

"But you bet that I would faint, so you jinxed me!" He held his head. "Anyway, I think I'll sleep when I get home or something…"

"Now don't be mad with us Artie. You didn't die or anything."

"That still does not help your situation Gilbert." Noticing the Spanish boy out of the trio hadn't said anything, Arthur asked, "No commentary from you Antonio?"

"Huh? Oh…no."

Instead of making a smart remark, Arthur looked genuinely curious. "What's wrong? Usually you'd join these two in making my life miserable, and yet today…you seem spacey."

"…it's nothing." He gazed out the window, paying no mind to his surroundings in the bus. Arthur noticed the tiniest hint of sadness in the boy's expression, so he decided to drop the argument.

Whispering to Francis, he asked, "What's wrong with him?"

"Manuel said something that really hurt him, but he won't tell me what."

"What is with those two anyway?"

"Nobody knows. I've asked Antonio about it, and even Manuel, but they never give me an answer or they change the subject. I'm guessing it's a highly sensitive topic, whatever it is."

Kiku didn't like to be an eavesdropper, but his curiosity kept growing and growing, the boy dying to know just what exactly had happened between the Spanish boy, and his Mexican cousin.

* * *

When the Jones residents and the Sanchez family walked home, Alfred noticed Manuel was unusually quiet, which greatly concerned him. "So…you feel better now Manny? Like, you don't feel faint anymore?"

"No, I don't. Thanks for asking."

More silence between the friends.

"…gonna go home and eat?"

"Probably. I don't feel like doing homework so I'll just do it in the morning. All I want to do right now is rest."

"Okay." He looked at the ground and then said, "Toni's a good guy you know."

"Yeah I know."

"Then…why is it that there's always a negative atmosphere when you two are together?"

"Because he's not always nice to me."

"I find that hard to believe. Toni practically adores you. I always see him doting over you and saying how cute or handsome you are."

"Yeah well that doesn't make up for what happened."

"What exactly DID happen?"

"Alicia, Eva, tell mom I'm gonna take a drive."

"To where?" asked Alicia.

"Just around town, maybe to the grocery store. I sorta need to be alone right now."

"…well, alright."

When they reached home, Manuel immediately got into his car and drove off. The two sisters looked concerned. Eva turned to the Jones and said, "I'm sorry he gets like this, but you have to understand that what happened isn't something that a person can get over."

"That's the problem," Alfred said, sounding a bit frustrated. "I _don't_ know what happened and he never tells me when I ask."

"Well, he will when he's ready. Don't badger him about it, because if you do, it'll come out in the worst way possible."

The two sisters walked into their house, leaving Alfred, Matthew, and Kiku to stare. The Japanese boy noticed Alfred still looked very concerned about what just happened, and now he too was beginning to worry.

* * *

Friday had approached, and as soon as Alfred got home, he rejoiced, tossing his backpack on the couch.

"YES. Spring break at laaaast!"

Matthew laughed. "I guess this means it's time to pack for our camping trip."

"Uhm, Matthew-san?"

"Yes Kiku?"

"Why is Jones-san's car still in the driveway? Didn't she work today?"

"Oh, no she didn't. She went to go rent an RV for our trip."

"An RV? You mean those huge trailer-like vehicles?"

"Yes. You're coming with us this year, right Kiku?"

"Y-Yes I am."

"That's great! You'll have a lot of fun then."

"C'mon Matt we gotta start packing! You should too Kiku!"

Alfred pulled his brother by the arm upstairs, and while Matthew was protesting, Kiku gave a chuckle. He walked upstairs to his own room and set his school accessories down on his desk.

Looking at the newly painted green walls, Kiku smiled with contentment. He picked up a photo of his late parents that was by his bedside, and he smiled a bit sadly.

"I really am having fun here living with the Jones family. They've treated me with much kindness and hospitality. I'm sure if you were both still alive, you would like all three of them very much."

"Boys I'm home!" came Emily's voice from downstairs. Kiku set the photo back on his bedside table, and walked out of the room.

"Jones-san, welcome home."

"Hello Kiku! Look look! I rented an RV! Surely my boys have told you what we do every year for spring break right?"

"Yes, you all go on a camping trip."

"And you're coming with! Do you have your bags ready?"

"What? Oh, uhm, n-no."

"Well you should start gathering all your belongings you want to take with you because we leave at three in the morning tomorrow!"

"Wh-What? Why so early?"

"It's a long drive to where we're gonna go camping! Plus we want to make the most of our trip! I can't leave you at home by yourself, nor do I want to, because you're a part of this family now, so you're gonna have fun with us too!"

Kiku could not say no to a grinning face from Emily. He smiled and said, "Alright, I shall go pack then."

"Good good! Now I'm going to go run to the supermarket to buy our food. I'll be back in a while. Make sure to tell the boys. Oh, and here are the keys to the RV if you want to check it out."

She handed the boy the new keys and then dashed to her own car, driving down the street to the market.

"Jones-san is very hyper like Alfred-san. I can see why they are related."

"Wooooah!"

Kiku turned to his side and noticed Alfred had been staring out the window.

"This RV is bigger than last year's! Matt let's go look inside!"

"Okay I'm coming!"

"You too Kiku!"

The tall blonde dragged his brother and friend to the driveway to check out the large vehicle. Opening the door and stepping inside, Alfred's eyes sparkled, and so did Kiku's.

"I-I-I have never been inside such a place."

"Dude, RVs are awesome. It also beats sleeping in a tent."

"I wonder if more people are going this year?" asked Matthew as he stepped inside. "This one is much more spacious than the one we rented last year."

"Well, the more the merrier! Geez I'm so excited for tomorrow! I should start putting stuff in here! C'mon Matt!"

Once again, he dragged his brother, except this time it was across the lawn to their house. Kiku decided to wander around the vehicle, looking at all the nooks and crannies.

"It even has a toilet and a shower. This is an amazing thing. Perhaps camping will be a good experience for me after all. I shall do my best to make this trip worthwhile for myself then!"

Suddenly, he didn't care anymore that he had to wake up at such an early time in the morning on Saturday.

* * *

A/N: The title for this chapter is so lame I can't-anyway, yes I have returned! It's been about three months since I last updated this story. I swear I planned to get a new chapter out much sooner but college really sucks because you have so much school work that you can't really do anything but study. The good thing is that finals are this week, so I'll have all of the summer to write! Though, I might focus on just getting my older fics done, so I can have more time for this one. I wrote like the first chapter to three new Hetalia fics I want to post up, but I'll need to flesh them out a lot more. One is a FrUK AU story and the other two are general AUs, one consisting of a historical society with a time period like the 1900's, while the other one is set in the far future, but I don't know if I'll ever write them out in full. The FrUK one though I might...

You know what I've noticed? It's really hard to finish fanfics of fandoms you're not that in to anymore, like the Naruto one that I started writing since like four years ago. It's still not finished. This is very sad... *sigh* I must finish it, the Bleach one, and Pokemon one soon... Then I can fully focus on getting this one done.

Sorry if this chapter seemed sorta choppy or like, short...or like a filler LOL. The blood drive thing I did experience though, not the fainting part thank God. And yes, questions like the one Kiku got do exist on those surveys. One even asked me "Have you ever had sex with a male who has had sex with another male in the past?" and I'm sitting there like, "Wtf." It was hilarious omg. But I finally understand why they ask such intimate questions. Anyway, the next chapter, everyone will finally get to know just what exactly is fueling Manuel's hate toward Antonio. Not sure if I'm going to make a flashback scene or just have Manuel describe it... I think I'll do a flashback. Yeah.

Thanks again everyone for your wonderful reviews! They always drive me to continue writing! ;w;


	11. Out In The Open

A/N: I normally don't put notes in the beginning of my chapters, but I just wanted to give you a heads up. This chapter vaguely describes a serious form of child abuse, so if you cannot handle reading this sort of thing, I suggest you ignore this installment of the story. Because I have never been in this situation before (thank God), the situation may or may not seem realistic, even though I read up on it, which can only take you so far. (Though in all honesty, the research made me extremely sad...) And I didn't want to go into full detail about it because...well I just didn't. It makes me sad, but it had to be done because it ties in with another important plot point later. Anyway, sorry for this bothersome note at the top, but I wanted to give you a fair warning. Read at your own discretion.

* * *

Chapter 11: Out In The Open

Kiku was used to getting up early since he usually was ready two hours before school started, making everyone breakfast to occupy his time. What he _wasn't_ used to was being ready not at, but _by_ three in the morning for a camping trip that would take many hours to get to the desired destination in the mountains.

"Alfred-san…" Kiku said to him sleepily as they loaded the large RV with the last of the supplies. "Was it really necessary to wake up this early?"

"Yep!" Alfred responded, ever energetic even in the early hours of the morning. "The earlier we get there, the more time we have for fun!"

"Are we really staying an entire week?"

"Yeah!"

"I'm so excited," Matthew said, poking his head out the door from the RV. "I can't wait to go back up there!"

"Boys!" Emily said as she walked out of the house. "Your aunt is coming with us!"

"Really? Aunt Martha is coming this year?" Matthew asked, excitement in his voice, hoping out of the RV.

"Yes, I am."

He turned around and saw his aunt smiling sweetly at him. "Hello Matthew."

"Auntie!" he said as he hugged her. Alfred noticed and grinned.

"Woah, you're coming with us this year Aunt Martha?"

"Yep. I've been camping before with my friends, but never with my family. It's a little odd ha ha."

"It's great to see you!" Alfred said, clinging to his aunt. She giggled and petted her nephews' heads.

Kiku was a little surprised. Emily and Martha seemed to be identical twins too, except Martha's hair was a bit longer, and she wore glasses unlike Emily. Watching them from a distance, he noticed the four had identical mannerisms, Alfred and his mom, and Matthew and his aunt.

"Oh yeah auntie," Alfred said. "I want you to meet Kiku, my best friend!"

Martha looked over to Kiku and smiled. "Good morning Kiku. I'm Martha, Alfred and Matthew's aunt, and Emily's twin sister. It's a pleasure to meet you," she said as she held out her hand.

Kiku shook it and gave a small smile. "It is also a pleasure to meet you too Martha-san. You are probably curious as to why I'm traveling with the Jones family this spring break—"

"Actually, I already know the situation," she said, putting a hand on Kiku's head. "There's nothing that needs to be explained. Emily already told me all about it, so welcome to the Jones family Kiku." Martha gave him the sweetest smile he ever saw, ruffling his hair.

"Th-Thank you Martha-san. You do not understand how much that means to me."

She smiled in response. "Well, it looks like we're almost set to go. Kiku, why don't we go inside? I'd like to know more about you. Emily says you're a very wonderful young man, and my nephews also talk highly about you, so I'm curious!"

"They really…really talk about me that much?"

"But of course. You're loved very much here."

Kiku nodded and with a smile stepped into the RV, but allowing Martha to pass first. Emily grinned as she watched them go inside. "Boys, do we have everything ready?"

"Yep. Can we leave now?"

"Not yet Alfred."

"Why?"

"Because we're still waiting on a few more people."

"Huh?"

"Ah! There they are!"

Alfred looked a bit shocked as he saw the Sanchez family walking towards them with their own cargo. Emily waved as Maria approached them. "Mom, don't they usually come in a different car?"

"Why do you think I got a much bigger RV this time? Gas is pricey nowadays and if we can all fit in one vehicle, then that's how we'll do it."

"Ah, okay. I see."

"It's almost three in the morning Maria!" Emily said. "We need to leave on the dot!"

"Oh I was already up by one in the morning, and so were Jose and my daughters. But I seem to have a son who likes to be a _flojero._"

Manuel looked definitely sleepy, trying so hard to stay standing. Alfred walked over to him and laughed. "What time did you go to bed?"

"…at midnight."

"Why so late?"

"THAT."

He pointed behind him and saw a person locking the house, then running towards the Sanchez family.

"Here _tia_, the key. Are you sure _abuela_ will be fine at _Tio_ _Ricardo's_ house?"

"Of course she will. Thank you for locking the house Antonio."

"No problem!" He noticed Alfred. "Hey!"

"Toni! I didn't know you were coming with your relatives. You usually go with Francis and his family or Lovi and Feli."

"Yeah I do, but this year I wanted to come with my cousins!" He smiled sweetly at Manuel who looked far from joyful. "And now I get to spend more time with Manny!"

He said nothing but narrowed his sleepy eyes at him. "Don't talk to me the entire ride over there."

"Wh-Why not?"

"Because you talked my head off forever last night and I only got one hour of rest, so all I want to do in the RV is sleep, not talk to you."

"B-But Manny—"

"Glad we understand each other."

"Can I sleep with you? You know, to keep you warm and so you can cuddle with somebody?"

"NO."

Manuel walked over to the RV and hopped in, setting his things down after greeting Martha and Kiku. Maria shook her head and Jose sighed.

"I'm sorry Antonio," said Jose. "I'm sure he'll warm up to you again." Jose was Maria's husband who was the tallest of his family. He had short hair with a mustache and was quite the masculine figure, muscles and all, unlike his son who was short and scrawny. He was at least glad Manuel knew how to defend himself with boxing and wrestling moves.

"It's okay. I'm not gonna give up," Antonio told him.

"Just don't push him too far. You know how short Manny's temper is, especially when he's low on sleep."

"Yeah I know."

Antonio watched his relatives walk into the RV to get settled. Alfred tapped him on the shoulder. "Hmm? What's up Alfred?"

"Why is Manny angry with you all the time? You're the like the nicest guy in the entire universe."

Antonio gave a chuckle. "Manny is just not good with expressing his feelings."

"This has to do with what happened in the past right? Something Manny can never forgive you for?"

Antonio stood quiet and didn't say anything as he fiddled around with his cell phone, pretending to text somebody from his contact list.

"Toni, what actually did happen between you and Manny?"

"Hey Alfred, you want some coffee? I'll go ask my _tia_ if I can make some for everyone."

"Toni you're avoiding my ques—"

"Whoops, I better get settled in there! Almost time to leave!" He ran off to the RV, leaving Alfred to stare at his back. Matthew walked over to him and asked, "Everything alright Al?"

"…no matter how many times I try, neither Toni nor Manny will tell me what happened."

"Alicia said to give them both time and when they feel ready, they'll explain."

"But Matt, this is really starting to concern me…"

"Al, I know Manny's your best friend but—"

"But nothing. If there's something wrong with my friends, I want to know what so I can help them however I can."

Matthew gave a sympathetic look and smiled sadly. "I know, but sometimes all we can do is just be patient and give them comfort."

"I guess you're right…"

"But don't look so sad Al. We're going camping! We'll all have fun right?"

"Yeah, yeah we will!" he said in his usual cheerful tone. He smiled at his twin. "Y'know, sometimes I feel like I wouldn't get anywhere without you bro."

Matthew chuckled. "I know."

"Boys come on!" shouted Emily. "It's time to go!"

The twins ran to the RV and Alfred closed the door, but not before shouting, "We're going camping! Hell yeah!"

"Alfred-san there are people still sleeping in this neighborhood! Please calm down!"

"Oops, sorry guys!" he shouted again.

"N-No I didn't mean to shout an apology either!" Kiku sighed. "It would be best if you just closed the door…"

"Oh okay!" Alfred shut the door and locked it, plopping down on the couch next to Kiku. "So you like the RV? Pretty fancy huh?"

"Yes very," Kiku responded as Jose drove the RV out of Emily's driveway and onto the street, heading towards the freeway. "Uhm, Alfred-san, exactly how many hours until we reach our destination?"

"Last time I checked…about five."

"Five…five hours?"

"Yep! But don't worry! Look I brought the Wii with us!"

Kiku did not notice there was also a television inside the RV. _This really is like a mobile home. How very amusing!_

"So you want to play Alfred-san?"

"Yeah for a little while. Can we mom?"

Emily took a sip from her coffee. "Sure if you want!"

"Sweet! Matt you wanna play?"

"Uhm, I actually just want to sit down and read."

"Fine… Hey Alicia, Eva, you wanna play?"

"We're actually gonna get some sleep," Alicia told him. "We want to have enough energy when we get there."

"Yeah, and besides," Eva began. "You wouldn't win against me."

"Of course I would!" he pouted.

The sisters only chuckled and walked to the bunk beds, Alicia on the bottom and Eva on top. Alfred noticed their dearest brother was missing. "Hey, where's Manny?"

"He's sleeping in the back bed. He must be really tired," Martha said.

"I think I'll go check on him," Antonio told her as he walked to the back of the RV. Sure enough, Manuel was lying on the bed, completely knocked out. He hadn't even bothered to take off his shoes. Antonio smiled and sat on the bed next to him, brushing the bangs out of his face. The longer he stared at him, the sadder his smile became, until it turned into a frown. He decided to lie down next to him, just watching his stomach rise and fall as he breathed, his cousin looking as innocent as when he was a child.

_Manny…I'm so sorry_, Antonio thought to himself. _It wasn't my fault… It…it really wasn't… I'm sorry I wasn't there for you but I was just as scared… Please forgive me…_

* * *

Alfred was a bit bummed that they couldn't stop at McDonald's for breakfast when it was seven in the morning, but Emily told them they had more than enough food to cook a proper breakfast. Kiku enjoyed helping out as much as he could. Mostly everyone was awake at this point except for Manuel.

"Is Antonio still with him?" asked Emily.

Alicia nodded. "Yes. Since he went back there, he hasn't left his side."

"Did he fall asleep too?"

"From what I last saw, yes he did."

Maria sighed. "Antonio is attached to my son like a magnet, and follows him around like a duckling."

"Is there any reason for that?"

"…yes, there is."

"Maria, you've never told me what happened between Manuel and Antonio. Surely you know right?"

"…you might as well know Emily, but…I will tell you later."

Jose spoke then. "It's not something we like to brag about, and I don't see why anybody would want to in the first place." Since he was driving, Maria fed him his breakfast, being in the passenger seat.

This only made Alfred curious, but he didn't want to bug the adults about it. However, he was definitely going to find out on this camping trip just what exactly was wrong with Manuel.

Kiku could tell they were nearing their destination point by the increase of pine trees with hardly any civilization in sight. It somewhat unnerved him since he had never been out of his city, but Alfred told him it was going to be alright and there were always forest rangers there in case anything happened. He mentioned something about being Kiku's hero if a bear should come but the Japanese boy ignored him unintentionally and instead focused on the scenery from the window.

After about another hour, it seemed like they finally made it to their desired location. Kiku noticed that there were other RVs, some big like the one they were using, and other smaller ones, some even attached to the backs of pick-up trucks.

"This is our campsite Kiku," Alfred told him. "We like to camp where there're other people so don't be nervous, okay? Nothing bad will happen."

"Yes, I will try to calm myself down Alfred-san."

Jose smiled when he saw familiar faces. "This is our parking spot." Slowly he backed the RV into the space of the campsite the group reserved. Kiku looked out the window again and saw the familiar faces too. Alfred hadn't been lying when he said his friends all camped together during spring break. Getting settled on the forest grounds were the Vargas family, the Kirkland family, the Bonnefoy family, the Wang family, the Beilschmidt family, and the Braginski family. Roderich was with the Beilschmidt family and Elizaveta was with the Vargas family. Kiku assumed that their parents didn't want to come so they came with whoever wanted to take them.

"Good heavens what took you all so long?" Alice asked Emily as they got out of the RV. "Everyone else got here an hour ago!"

"We just wanted to make sure we had everything Alice, so calm yo tits."

"That is no way for a grown woman to speak, especially not to a lady such as myself!"

"You're just upset because I'm still hip and you're not," Emily responded with a shrug. "Anyway, let's all set up everything!"

Alfred stretched as he breathed in the forest air. Matthew did the same. Camping to them was a major privilege, something Kiku didn't understand yet, but the blonde was set on showing him a good time.

"Hey Matt, where's Manny?"

"I think he's still asleep."

"Seriously? I gotta go wake him up then." Alfred hopped back into the RV and was about to yell at Manuel for still being asleep at this hour, even though still slumbering at eight wasn't a crime, but when he noticed how Antonio cuddled him close to his body (something that was sure to put the Mexican boy into a rage), the American stopped and just stared.

Just by looking at Antonio and how hard he tried every day to get on Manuel's good side, he could tell that whatever it was that was coming between them was something more serious than he could have possibly thought.

"Hey, Toni," Alfred said, shaking his shoulder a little. The Spaniard opened his eyes slowly and yawned, realizing he was cuddling his cousin, but made no effort to move and just smiled. "He's so warm ~"

"Toni."

"Mm? Oh hello Alfred!"

"We're already here. Tell Manny to get up."

"Ah, that means Feli and Lovi are here too right?"

"Yeah they're outside. They were asking for you."

"Then I shall go to them right away!" He hopped out of the bed and ran outside. Alfred could hear Antonio fawning over them, Feliciano giggling and Lovino raging. He made it his job instead to wake up Manuel.

"Hey Manny, wake up dude. We're here."

The teen yawned and rubbed his eyes, sitting up slowly. "Huh?"

"I said we're here."

"Already?"

"Manny you slept the entire ride. You didn't even wake up for breakfast!"

"What?! And why didn't you tell me?!" he scolded, slapping Alfred on the arm, the latter laughing.

"Because you were knocked out cold!"

"I felt like there was a giant weight on my back or something…"

"Oh yeah, that's because Toni was hugging you the entire time."

"…what."

"Yeah, he wanted to check on you, but I guess he got sleepy too so he cuddled you in his arms or something."

He was sure Manuel was going to get angry, but instead he asked quite calmly, "So where is he now?"

"He's with Feli and Lovi. He was happy to see them!"

"…yeah, of course he is. Why wouldn't he be?"

"Manny, are you okay?"

"So can I eat breakfast now?"

"I think you should first say good morning to everyone outside."

"Alright."

"Wow you were so sleepy you put your shirt on backwards."

"…damn."

* * *

"Uhm, Alfred-san," Kiku said as they were setting up tents. "I thought we were going to sleep in the RV."

"I thought so too but apparently only mom, auntie, Manny's parents, and his sisters get to sleep in there, while the rest of us guys need to use a tent. It's not fair!"

"Don't listen to Alfred," Matthew told Kiku as he hammered the nail into the ground to keep the tent from flying away. "Sleeping in a tent isn't that bad."

"But I am not sure I will be comfortable using a sleeping bag."

"That's okay! Look!" Alfred brought out a box from the RV. "This is an inflatable mattress and we put this inside the tent! This tent is one of the biggest ones so we'll have a lot of room! Then we just add blankets and pillows and it's like a real bed!"

"Oh, that is a relief. It looks and sounds much more comfortable than sleeping bags."

"And it is!" Alfred put his hands on his hips when the tent was all set up. "Good work you guys. Now let's furnish the inside!"

Kiku watched as the brothers inflated the mattress and struggled to make it fit inside the entranceway. When it was done, they started to put their belongings inside.

"C'mon Kiku! Oh, and make sure you leave your shoes by the entrance so dirt doesn't get all over the place."

He followed them inside the tent.

"Uhm, so which side will I be sleeping on?" he asked as he sat down in front of the mattress, watching Alfred and Matthew put blankets on it and pillows.

"Well Matt and I usually share a tent by ourselves and we sleep side by side, so since you're here now…I'll be in the middle, and you can be on my left! I wanna be next to both my bro and my best buddy!"

"Oh, well alright then." Kiku set down his belongings on the right side of the mattress. Alfred and Matthew smiled, patting the thing, telling Kiku to sit down with them. He gave a small smile and slowly got on top of the mattress, his eyes sparkling.

"It…it is very soft!"

"Yep!"

"So what are we going to do today then?"

Matthew tapped his chin. "Well usually the first day we don't go anywhere because we take this time to get settled in and go over our plans and things like that."

"All day?"

"Yes. You'd be surprised how long it takes to get settled in! Our mom is the one who brings the RV, so everyone uses it to cook and stuff, and to go to the bathroom or shower if the campsite bathrooms are occupied. But the RVs are always expensive, especially the size our mom got this year, so the Sanchez family decided to pay for half."

"Oh wow. You…you all take camping seriously."

Alfred laughed. "Of course we do! Camping is something everyone should get the chance to do at least once in their life! I mean it's nice to be around all this technology and stuff, but there's something refreshing about being outdoors with animals, fishing, taking a hike, and all that jazz!"

Matthew chuckled and nodded in agreement with his brother. "Look Kiku, we have a map of the place."

He handed him the map and Kiku unfolded it, wide-eyed. "This…this map is extremely large!"

"Of course. This forest is large!" Alfred said, taking a granola bar out of his bag because his mother hid all the candy.

"We're here," Matthew pointed out. "And don't worry. We're not gonna explore this entire place. The areas we marked with a red X are the places we're gonna visit."

"So what are we doing tomorrow?"

"Well," Alfred said, his mouth full of granola. "Our morning is gonna consist of a breakfast, and then a hike up a huge waterfall! Then when we get to the top, we're gonna go fishing and have lunch! And then we're gonna hike back down to our campsite and have dinner and then just chill."

Kiku thought that sounded strenuous but he didn't want to say anything. "I…see. And is there…an internet connection here?"

Alfred laughed. "Nope. There's hardly any kind of signal here. Even cell phones don't work well in this place. Ah, but I think they have free WiFi at the giftshop." He slapped Kiku on the back. "But with all the stuff we'll be doing, we don't need WiFi or electronics!"

Kiku didn't really like the sound of that.

* * *

The large group of friends did nothing but set up their campsite, just like Alfred had said. The boys started to get hungry since everyone had to skip lunch because of all the tasks required to make their spot accommodated, so Maria, Chun Yan, and Emily began to cook dinner for everyone. There were two firepits where the group had set up, so the adults took one, and the teens took another.

"Man I can't wait until we go to the lake," Gilbert said, resting in a fold up chair. "Babes in bikinis everywhere. Next year we should take a trip to the beach or something, like rent a beach house."

"Is that all you care about?" Arthur asked. "There is more to this outdoors thing than seeing young ladies in their swimwear."

"Yes, because you get to see young men in their own swimwear as well."

"That's not what I was talking about frog!"

"Hey hey hey! Will there be ducks there?" asked Peter tugging on the Briton's sleeve. He was an adorable little boy and was teen's youngest sibling. Arthur was extremely grateful that his older siblings had plans of their own for spring break, otherwise this week would have been hell for him.

"I suppose so. Just don't try to bring them back to the campsite."

"Aww…but the ducklings are so cute…"

"Yes I know but we don't want to get in trouble with the rangers, now do we?"

"No… So then can I bring back a turtle?"

"Peter the answer is 'no' to every question you ask about being able to bring back animals to your tent."

Elizaveta laughed. "Arthur, your little brother is so cute! How old is he?"

"He's ten years old."

"Yeah but I'm gonna grow up to be taller and smarter than Arthur someday!"

"No you won't. You're shorter than I was when I was a lad, so stop speaking nonsense."

"You're just angry 'cause whenever our siblings come to visit, Angus brings me presents and hits you upside the head instead. It's not my fault I'm cute!"

Arthur growled and everyone else laughed.

Soon everyone retrieved their dinner and ate it, Alfred and Manuel going back regularly for more servings. Eventually their mothers had to scold and remind them that they were not the only people here at their campsite.

Kiku noticed after dinner, everyone retreated to their tents and returned outside in their nightwear. Alfred told him that even if it was dark, they still liked to sit by the fire and roast marshmallows.

"You want a smore?" asked Alfred.

"Uhm…what is a smore?"

Alfred stared at him, which caused the others to stare at him, and an awkward silence floated in the atmosphere.

_Oh my God he was deprived of a life more than I thought!_ Alfred said to himself. To prevent anybody from saying anything that would hurt Kiku's feelings, he said, "A smore is a marshmallow and a piece of chocolate stuck together between two graham crackers. They're really good! You wanna try one?"

"Uhm, yes, I suppose so."

Ludwig snatched away the bag of marshmallows from the Vargas brothers since it seemed like they were going to devour them all, and Alicia had to slap Manuel's hand away since he wouldn't let go of the chocolate. Peter was busying himself trying to open the box of crackers but kept struggling. Arthur sighed and did it for him.

Alfred took a marshmallow and stuck it on a stick and then handed it to Kiku. "Here you go!"

"Uhm…what do I do with this?"

"You put it in the fire and wait for it to roast. Then…" He took a piece of chocolate and placed it on a cracker. "When it's finished, you put the marshmallow on here, and then top it with another cracker, and eat it, like a sandwich!"

"Here, I'll show you Kiku! After all, smores were invented in Korea so this is a piece of cake," Yong Soo said.

"Don't start with the Korea thing!" Yao shouted.

Yong Soo ignored him and put a marshmallow on a stick, then waited for it to roast in the campfire. When it looked warm enough, he put it on a cracker, put a piece of chocolate on top, and then added another cracker. "Then you eat it!" He bit into it and chuckled. "It tastes really good. Uwaah but it's hot!" He tried fanning his tongue and Mei laughed.

Kiku watched as the others took their turns creating their own smores. He seemed a little nervous because he didn't want to burn himself. Alfred smiled sympathetically and said, "I'll help you."

He placed his hand over Kiku's and held the marshmallow over the fire. The contact made Kiku blush. He tried not to look at Alfred, but instead glanced at him from the corner of his eye. _There is no reason for me to tense up, so why then…_

"There. Now you put it on this cracker, add the chocolate, another cracker, and you're done!"

The Japanese boy did everything his friend told him to do, and was hesitant to eat it since Yong Soo had said it could be hot. He waited a few moments to consume it, but once he did, his eyes sparkled again.

"This…this tastes very good!"

"See I knew you'd like it!"

They had all ended up finishing the pack of marshmallows and chocolate along with the crackers, that Alice got upset and told them to calm down because they needed to save them for the rest of the week, so she put a limit to three smores a night for each person, and no more.

"Hey Artie, your mom is hot and everything—"

"Yes Gilbert, that is _exactly_ the kind of thing I want to hear about my mum coming out of your mouth."

"—but she's the one who needs to calm down. It's not like we eat smores everyday!"

"She just wants to make sure we save the food is all."

"Yeah well we're gonna have a lot of leftovers like last year and we don't eat this stuff when we're home so it's all gonna go to waste. You see my point?"

"Gilbert just drop it… You get hyper with sweets sometimes remember?"

"Nobody needs to know that Luddy!"

* * *

"Hey Manny," Alfred asked as everyone was getting ready to sleep. "Which tent are you in?"

"Which do you think? The one that belongs to fricken Antonio…"

"Why'd you decide to sleep there?"

"I didn't. My mom wants me to bond more with him so she made me sleep in his tent. The worst part is that he's also sharing it with the Vargas brothers. Man if I had my say, I'd sleep in the tent you guys have…"

"Wow that sucks. Good luck."

"Thanks I guess… I'm putting a border of pillows in between myself and Antonio in case he tries to hug me in his sleep. That way he'll get the pillows instead and I can sleep without a worry in the world."

"Why won't you let him touch you? He's not like Francis."

"No, but he's still too affectionate and he doesn't care who knows it, but I on the other hand, DO care." He sighed. "Well, _buenas noches Alfredo._"

"G'night Manny."

He watched the shorter teen walk into his own tent and heard Antonio fawning over him, Manuel throwing curse words in response. Feliciano told him to calm down and Lovino only made it worse by yelling profanities because they were too loud and he couldn't sleep.

Alfred shook his head and went into his own tent. Matthew was already asleep and Kiku was settling himself in.

"So did you enjoy your first day?" asked Alfred.

"Yes, I did, though setting up is a lot of work."

"Yeah I know. The first day is usually boring, but tomorrow is gonna be fun! You'll see!"

"I cannot wait. But uhm…I haven't fished."

"Wow Kiku, I'm gonna have to show you how to do a lot of stuff on this trip!"

"I'm sorry…"

"No what're you saying sorry for?" he laughed. "It's my pleasure!"

"Oh…uhm, well thank you Alfred-san." He smiled. "I really appreciate it."

"No prob. Now, let's get some sleep so we can have energy for tomorrow!"

"Oh, I wanted to ask you though, what was that stuff you sprayed on me earlier?"

"Bug repellant. Mosquitoes are the only things I hate about camping. No matter how much you cover yourself with clothes or how much repellant you spray, they always manage to bite you!"

"Ah…"

"Well, good night Kiku!" Alfred took off his glasses and turned off the lamp, snuggling in between his brother and the other boy.

"Good night Alfred-san."

* * *

The next morning, Kiku awoke to find himself alone in the tent. He began to get worried until he heard the zipper open and Alfred stepped inside, already dressed.

"G'morning Kiku! Breakfast is ready!"

"Alfred-san, you are up earlier than I am!"

"Of course! I wanted to get things ready for our hike up the waterfall today. Now what would you like for breakfast? We have cereal, but mom cooked omelets and Aunt Martha made some pancakes."

"Uhm, well I suppose I would like an omelet."

"Alright then, I'll go get it for you! Want anything to drink?"

"Orange juice is fine…"

"Okay then! I'll let you change and by the time you're out, your breakfast will be ready!"

Kiku sighed when Alfred zippered up the tent again, but smiled as he took out a change of clothes. Because he was going hiking, he figured loose comfortable clothes were best. When he was done, he exited the tent and saw that everyone else was already awake, or at least outside. Some looked sleepy-eyed still.

He sat down at the table underneath what he assumed was a tent, except its walls looked more like a net. He figured it was to keep the bugs out.

"Here you go Kiku!" Alfred said as he walked inside, giving Kiku his plate and drink. "Mostly everyone is finished, so now they're getting their backpacks and stuff ready for our trip!"

"I will try to eat fast then."

"Ha ha, no need for that. There's no rush!"

Though Alfred told him that, he could tell everyone was excited, considering they were already making lunch for the hike and the guys were preparing the fishing poles. He didn't want to be the person to hold them up, so he tried to eat as fast as he could. When he was finished, he took his backpack but Alfred told him to make the weight light because they'd be hiking a lot and the more weight, the harder the climb. Kiku took his advice and packed lightly, his camera around his neck.

The group made sure everything was locked and secure. They had to walk to the hiking trail since there were no room for cars. When they got there, Emily stood in front of her group and said, "Okay everyone, we're about to start our hike! Now like every year, I want to mention this. Be extra careful when you start seeing damp rocks, because that means we're getting closer to the top, but it also means you can slip and fall, and I'm sure none of you want to plummet so many feet into a gorge, right?"

"Emily stop scaring everyone," Alice said. "Look, just stay close to each other and if you see somebody struggling, help them climb. I suggest the females to be in the middle of our group with the males in the front and the back."

"Oh and one more thing," Chun Yan said. "Don't feed the squirrels."

Everyone turned their heads toward Alfred, who looked around the landscape innocently.

The climb along the hiking trail started off pretty easy, until it started to turn upward. Then it became much more of a struggle to walk, especially since they were such a large group of people and they weren't the only ones visiting the national forest.

About an hour had passed and they reached a flat area along the trail where there were restrooms and stone benches.

"Alright, so this is our stop," Emily said to the group. "We take a short break here, and then continue onward!"

Kiku tried not to gasp. "There…is still a long way to go?"

Gilbert chuckled. "Of course! This is like the halfway point! You see that huge-ass waterfall?" He pointed to the large flowing wall of dihydrogen monoxide. "We're gonna climb all the way to the top of it!"

"It…it's quite high for a climb!"

"Yeah, that's why you gotta be extra careful!"

"You can slip and fall on the rocks closest to the waterfall," Ludwig added.

"But don't worry Kiku. None of us have ever fallen!" Feliciano said. "You know what I do?"

"No, what?"

"Well I crawl on my hands and knees and grab onto every dry rock!"

"Won't that make the walk even more difficult?"

"…yes but I don't want to die!" he wailed.

Lovino rolled his eyes and Roderich shook his head.

"Don't pay attention to him," the Austrian said. "As long as you're careful and attentive of your path, you'll be fine."

"And I will be walking in the back to catch anybody if they fall," Ivan said with a smile. "I am the tallest and strongest out of the teenagers you know."

"I dunno about that," Alfred said, overhearing them after he returned from the restroom. "Tallest, yeah, but strongest? That would be me," he pointed out, a thumb to his chest. "But don't worry Kiku. We've done this for a long while now, so we know how to climb! You just can't stop and take pictures because then you'll hold up all the other hikers after you."

Kiku looked at his camera sadly, and then Matthew said, "Oh, but once we get to the top, the view is beautiful. Then you can take all the photos you want."

"Really?"

"Yes, it's something to look forward to!"

"Then…then I will do my best to hike up this seemingly treacherous trail!"

When the break was over, the large group started to climb again. Feliciano wasn't kidding when he said he crawled on the ground and clung to rocks so he didn't fall. He kept whimpering the entire way up, Lovino getting annoyed by this point. It was worse when the mist from the waterfall made everything and everyone wet.

"This is the part I hate the most," Manuel commented, trying to hold onto any rocks on the side of the mountain wall.

"Why? You've been here quite a few times already Manuel," Arthur responded.

"Oh don't get me wrong. I'm confident of being able to climb this thing. It's just that some _people_ in front of you are not _paying attention _sometimes, and tend to _slip_ and crash into you, so then _you_ fall down as well."

Obviously the person he was talking about was Antonio, who decided to take this camping trip as a chance to bond with his cousin, but he didn't read the emphasized words as something with malice, even though Arthur did.

"Ha ha, I won't let you fall Manny! That's why I'm walking in front, so you can grab onto me if you feel like you'll slip!"

"You should've walked behind me so if I fall you'd be my cushion."

"Why do you say such mean things to me?!"

"I dunno."

"I just want to help!"

"I don't need your help. I can do this on my own."

"You have to stop getting angry with me every time I try to assist you!" Now it was Antonio's turn to become irritated. Usually he was a happy person and quite calm, but when he began to get frustrated, it was noticeable in his expression.

"Yeah like I'm supposed to count on you after what happened all those years ago."

"Nobody is telling you to forget it ever happened Manuel, but you can at least attempt to put it behind you and move on with your life."

"I _have_ moved on with my life for your information _idiota!_"

"Well it doesn't seem like it considering you're still giving me the cold shoulder every time I try to do something nice for you!"

"Then you should've gotten your priorities straight on that day!"

"Look that wasn't my fault! I already told you! I was just as scared! I didn't know what was going on—"

"How can you not know what was going on when I clearly saw you—!" He stopped mid-sentence, remembering there were other people around and that the rest of his group started to look at the pair, even the fellow hikers both in front and behind them.

"We were just children Manuel," Antonio stated plainly. "You can't expect us at that age to understand those kinds of things." He turned away, deciding it was best to calm himself down. He didn't want to say something that would reveal the whole conflict to the public.

Manuel gave a "tch" and ignored him, focusing on getting a good footing of the trail. The argument started to make the rest of their friends curious about what happened. They knew that there was tension between the two cousins, even though Antonio tried to be as friendly as possible with the other. But because they were on such a hazardous climb to the waterfall, they didn't want to risk a fight breaking out and having something tragic happen.

It took about thirty more minutes to climb to the top. Kiku thought he was in the safe zone until he saw what looked like a rickety metal bridge along the side of the mountain wall.

"…are we supposed to cross over that…?"

Alfred laughed. "Of course! We can't fly to the waterfall, so they built this metal bridge so we can get across."

"It's quite narrow though," Francis informed him. "so people need to walk in a single file row, and you still need to be careful since the bridge itself is somewhat old."

This didn't help with Kiku's nerves. He watched as the hikers in front of him walked on the bridge, and watched as his friends did the same. Alfred saw he was getting a bit nervous, so he grabbed his hand, causing Kiku to look up at him with wide eyes. He was greeted with an optimistic smile and said, "I'll go in front of you so you can hold on to me in case you feel like you're gonna fall. Just don't look directly down and you'll be fine, okay?"

"Y-Yes…" he said, his cheeks tinted a bit pink.

"Alright, ready?"

"Uhm, I believe so."

Alfred let his twin walk in front of him, and then he followed, still holding on to Kiku's hand. Francis wasn't kidding when he said the bridge was narrow. To the right was the rock wall of the mountain and to the left was the gorge, where down below the calm river from the waterfall was flowing. He could see the other hikers from afar that had reached the half-way point. They seemed so small.

Alfred had to keep his left hand behind him since Kiku clutched onto it for dear life. He was relieved when they finally reached solid ground. The blonde grinned at him and asked, "See, now that wasn't so difficult, was it?"

"N-No, just a bit nerve-wrecking."

"Yeah, I felt the same too the first time, so I know whatcha mean."

Feliciano sprawled out on the ground and was in near tears of happiness. "F-Finally we made it!" he cried.

"Stop humiliating yourself Feli! Get up!" scolded Lovino.

"Ah okay just don't yell at me!" he whined. He stood up and dusted himself off, and gasped at the view. "Oh Kiku Kiku Kikuuuu! Take a picture of me please!" he pleaded, tugging at the Japanese teen's sleeve.

"Very well Feliciano-kun but please do not do that to my shirt. You will stretch it."

"Okay!"

Feliciano stood at the edge of the waterfall. Nobody had to worry about anything because there was a sturdy metal railing for the tourists to stop and take pictures, and to admire the scenery. Kiku did his best to take a good photo of his friend, and then soon everyone else wanted him to take one, after Feliciano showed them how good it came out.

It made Kiku genuinely happy to take so many photos of his friends and their families. They all looked cheerful in them and seemed to be enjoying themselves. After he took a picture of the Jones family, Alfred said, "Hey Liz, can you take a picture for Kiku?"

"Huh? Oh, you mean you want Kiku in the photo?"

"Yeah! Hey Kiku, let Liz borrow your camera and come over here so you can be in the photo with us!"

"B-But uhm…I am not…"

"Yes you _are._" He took the camera and handed it to Elizaveta, then dragged the small teen over to his family. They made Kiku stand in the center since he was the shortest. Elizaveta made sure to catch a good shot of the five and then happily handed it to Kiku. When he checked the library of the photos he took, he smiled when he saw himself in the Jones portrait. It gave him a warm fuzzy feeling inside.

"Alright, well we've reached the top!" Emily said, shooting her arms into the air. "This is our destination, so now let's enjoy it!"

"Alfred-san, why does the trail continue?" Kiku asked as the group settled themselves under the shade of the trees near the river.

"Well you see, the hiking trail for this mountain is very long. Some hikers continue going for hours to reach the end of it, but you should only attempt that feat if you have a lot of endurance and patience. None of us have ever tried it though, because it would be too much."

"Oh, I see."

He noticed that the guys were setting up the fishing poles and the girls were taking out the items they brought for lunch.

"Ready to fish Kiku?"

"I…have not ever tried it, but yes, I suppose I am ready."

"Great! Here, I'll teach you."

Kiku made sure to pay attention to what Alfred was telling him. He didn't want to hurt himself with the hook so he watched and took note of how Alfred prepared the bait on it.

"When you cast off, you have to make sure you have a lot of room. That's why not all the guys are gonna fish at one time. There's not enough space here for all of us to do this."

"I see."

Alfred cast the line into the water and when he felt a bite, he demonstrated to Kiku how to reel in the catch. The fish jumped off the hook before he could bring it to shore.

"Aww man…"

"Do not worry Alfred-san. You will catch a better one later."

"Ha ha! That's the spirit! Here, now you try." He handed the rod to Kiku, but he wasn't exactly sure how to hold it.

"Uhm…" He looked at Alfred sheepishly.

"No problem."

He placed his hands over Kiku's again, showing him how to properly handle the fishing pole. Kiku felt his face heat up just a bit when his hands made contact with Alfred's, but he decided to ignore the feeling for a third time.

"So now do you know how to hold it?" asked the American.

"Y-Yes, thank you very much for your assistance Alfred-san."

"Don't mention it!"

Kiku wondered why Alfred sat behind him on a rock and took out a bag of sunflower seeds.

"What are you doing? Are you not going to fish?"

"Since you've never done this before, you go first. I don't mind watching. If you need help, just ask! I'll be here supervising okay? And I'll also help you when you catch a fish, because those things can be feisty and try to jump off the hook even when you hold it above ground!"

"Understood."

It was mostly a few boys who were fishing since the adults sat down in their own little group to chat and rest, while the girls and remaining guys scattered themselves near each other under the shade of the trees.

"Hey Manny, do you want to fish?" asked Antonio.

"No."

"But I brought a fishing pole for us both, and I saved us a spot over there."

Manuel stood quiet, which made Antonio's eyebrows furrow in frustration.

"Oh come on you can't still be upset at our argument earlier?"

"No I'm over that."

"Then?"

"I just don't want to be around you, and you know this, so stop trying so hard to get me to hang out with you!"

"But we're family! Manny, you know I love you very much right?"

Manuel laughed. "You could've fooled me considering what happened all those years ago!"

"Just let it go already! I was just as young as you and I honestly didn't know what was going on!"

"Ha! What a bunch of bullshit!"

Some of their other friends were getting annoyed.

"Hey you two," Gilbert began. "I don't know what the hell happened in your past, but stop shouting! You'll scare the fish!"

"You're causing a scene _again_," Arthur added.

"If you think I'm going to give up with trying to get back on your good side, then I'm sorry Manuel, but you're gonna have to put up with it until you let this go!" Antonio said.

"You're only doing this because you feel guilty that you didn't help me back then, even though you were able to!"

"No I wasn't! I was a kid! What did you want me to do? Divert the attention away by waving my arms and yelling? What if he had a gun?"

"You could've ran!"

"I was not going to risk getting killed!"

"Oh of course not because you were too worried about _Lovino_ like always!"

"Feliciano was there too if you don't remember! And don't bring Lovi into this!"

"Why not? It's obvious that he's always been your favorite! For all I know you and he could be banging each other in secrecy!"

"Hey hey!" Lovino shouted, now also getting angry. "Will the both of you just shut your fucking mouths? We came on this trip to relax, not to get into this drama shit!"

"Don't butt in _pendejo!_"

"Don't think just 'cause I'm Italian that I don't understand what you say in Spanish, Manny!"

"Yeah I forgot that Antonio taught you how to speak in our language. I can only imagine what _other _things you learned from him too."

"You know I'm getting tired of your damn mouth!"

"And I'm getting tired of your damn face!"

"Please stop fighting!" Feliciano said, trying to come in between them. Antonio didn't want the younger Italian brother to get hurt so he tried to pull him away.

"You know I hate your type Manny! I can't stand jealous people!"

"Ha! Oh really now? Then I guess you can't stand yourself considering you're also one of them!"

"You have it worse than me!"

"I wasn't the one who _cried_ whenever Antonio would decide to play with me!"

"And I wasn't the one who threw _temper tantrums_ when he decided to play with _me!_"

"That was because you were always being an asshole toward me when we were little!"

"No I wasn't! You just have a cousin complex!"

"Like hell I did! The shit that comes outta your mouth!"

"It's not as bad as the shit that comes outta _yours!_"

"Okay stop it both of you!" Antonio scolded. "Look we didn't come here for this!"

"Then tell Lovino to back the fuck off. He shouldn't stick his nose into other people's conversations!"

"Well I don't know if this can even be considered a conversation since you're shouting so loud that everyone else can hear you!"

"Well this whole thing wouldn't have started if a certain Spanish _imbecil_ would just leave me the hell alone!"

"Manuel for crying out loud just drop it!"

"Not until you back off Antonio!"

"Well I'm not because you're gonna have to forgive me sooner or later!"

"You think what you did can be easily forgiven?!"

"I didn't do ANYTHING!"

"_Exactly_ the problem here!"

"I was eight years old! What do you expect a child of that age to do when he witnesses something like that?!"

"I dunno maybe, _cry for help?_"

"I was scared out of my mind! I told you I couldn't comprehend what was going on!"

"How can you not when you saw me crying and attempting to scream?! Obviously that should be a warning signal that 'Hey moron your little cousin needs help hurry the fuck up and get some adults over here' or something!"

Lovino was starting to boil with frustration and said, "Will you two just shut the fuck up already?! Antonio stop bothering Manny if he's so pissed at you and you Manny just get over whatever shit happened to you in the past alright?! You're both annoying me and everyone else here!"

Manuel turned sharply toward Lovino and shouted angrily, "Well how would _you_ feel if you were a seven year old kid getting raped by a strange man?!"

Lovino's face froze with shock, and caused the rest of their group to turn deathly silent. Feliciano held his hands over his mouth, while Antonio said nothing.

"…what?"

"How would you feel at that age, huh? An innocent little boy having his virginity taken away from him forcefully by a sick fuck, knowing that his cousin was watching from afar? That same cousin who told him over and over that if he ever needed help, he'd always be there for him, and yet the moment he actually cried out for him, he didn't do anything about it?"

Lovino stood quiet, shock now turning to sympathy on his face. Manuel turned to the rest of the group scornfully and said, "So you wanna know what exactly happened do ya?"

"Manuel, don't do this!" his mother cried.

"No! I'm tired of people asking me why I can't stand Antonio so much!"

"But you'll only remind yourself of that horrible day!"

"At this point I don't care anymore alright?!"

"Yes you do otherwise you wouldn't still hold such bitter feelings about the whole thing! It wasn't Antonio's fault—"

"Tell that to the seven year old me who had so much trust in him then!"

He ignored any other protests from his mother and said, "I don't care what you guys think after I say this, just as long as you don't pity me for what happened. I don't need a damn pity party alright?"

_Flashback- Nine Years Ago_

"Antonio, take your cousin to the sandbox to play, okay?"

"Yes _Tia _Maria! Come on Manny!"

"Okay!"

It was another normal Saturday afternoon in the woodland-like park Maria and her kids usually frequented. She decided to take Manuel out today to buy him some new clothes since she had recently gotten a raise at work, and Antonio's mother had errands to run, so she left him in the custody of Maria for the day.

Manuel enjoyed being with his cousin. He was nice and friendly and was always wanting to play with him. They always had a lot of fun, even doing something simple like being in the sandbox.

"Hi Toni! Hi Manny!"

"Yeah… H-Hi…"

But there were also times where he just wanted it to be the two of them, without the company of others.

"Lovi! Feli!" Antonio said cheerfully. "Hi!"

"Hi!" Feliciano plopped himself down next to the Spanish boy. "What are you guys doing?"

"We're building a sand castle!" he said, handing a colorful shovel to the little Italian.

"Why are you here?" asked Manuel, trying not to sound jealous.

"Mommy and us were shopping," Lovino said. "But then she saw your mommy, and then told us to come and play in the sandbox with you."

"Where's _Tia _Maria?" asked Antonio.

"She and mommy are over there sitting down on the bench. I think they're showing each other what they bought. I don't like my clothes…"

"But I think our clothes are nice Lovi!" Feliciano responded.

"Then you can wear them Feli."

"But mommy bought them for you!"

"_Tia_ Maria bought Manny and me some clothes too!" Antonio said. "I like them! Aren't they nice Manny?"

"Yes."

The four started to build the sandcastle, but Manuel didn't like how Lovino was building his side.

"No, the castle needs to have four towers."

"But I want to build the water around it."

"But first we need to build the towers!"

"But I can build the water around it while you do that!"

"Well then you need to wait!"

Lovino huffed and took the pail that came with the colorful plastic set, and went the water fountain to fill it up a bit. He carried it back to the sandbox. "Then use water so we can build faster!"

"No that will make a mess!"

"It's okay Manny," Antonio said. "The sand will turn into mud and then it will be easier to make everything stick together! Like at the beach!"

"But we're in a sandbox not the beach!"

"Manny don't get mad…" Feliciano said quietly. "Uhm, Lovi just wants to help!"

"No he's just being dumb."

"You're being dumb, you taco face!"

"You're a pasta face dumbo!"

"Don't call me names!"

"Well you started it!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Okay stop it!" Antonio said getting in between them. "We don't need to fight! Manny using water will make this easier!"

"But you said we were going to try it this time without water! Only because Lovi is here that you're saying this!"

"No! I think it's a good idea!"

"You always think whatever Lovi thinks is a good idea!"

"I like your ideas too!"

"But not when Lovi is around! You like him more than me!"

"No I like both of you! I just don't see him a lot like I see you!"

"Then you can play with Lovi! I'll leave!" He stomped out of the sandbox but kicked sand onto Lovino's clothes before leaving. Though it didn't get in his eyes, he still started tearing up.

"Nobody likes you Manny!" the little Italian shouted.

"Nobody likes you either pasta face!"

"Well you're a stupid taco face!"

"A pasta face is worse fathead!"

"My head is not fat!"

"Please don't leave Manny!" cried Feliciano. He looked at his older brother who was trying to withhold from crying in front of Antonio. He liked to prove he was strong. "N-No don't cry Lovi!" he said as he hugged him. "Manny didn't mean it!"

"He's a jerk!" He shouted out toward Manuel, tears running down his cheeks. "I hate you!"

"I hate you too!"

He stomped away angrily, trying not to cry himself. Antonio called after him but Manuel just ignored him and stormed off.

Antonio sighed. "I wish Manny didn't get mad all the time… Lovi, he didn't mean it."

"Yes he did!"

"He'll say sorry when he comes back."

"Toni you're not going to follow him?" asked Feliciano.

"_Tia _Maria said that if Manny gets mad, I shouldn't bother him because then he'll hit me."

"Oh…okay. I hope he comes back."

"Yeah, he will. Lovi please don't cry! L-Look we can use the water now! I know Manny won't be mad anymore when he comes back! And when he does, you need to say sorry to him too okay?"

Lovino sniffed. "Okay…"

* * *

"That dummy head," Manuel grumbled to himself as he picked up rocks and threw them at a tree. He didn't care if he was alone. He didn't want to let other people hear the mean things he was saying about the Italian.

"Who is a dummy head?"

He turned around and saw a man standing a few feet behind him.

"Nobody," he said, afraid this man would tell his mother about the mean things he said about Lovino.

"But you sound angry."

"No I'm not…"

"You know, somebody told me that if you're angry, it's better to talk about it."

"Well there's this boy and his name is Lovi. He's a dummy head because all his ideas are stupid and he doesn't listen to me."

The man laughed. "Really?"

"Yeah. Like today when Lovi, Feli, and Toni and me were playing in the sandbox, he wanted to use water to make the pieces of the castle stick together! That's dumb!"

"Yeah, it does sound dumb!"

"But Toni always agrees with Lovi because he likes him more than me…"

"Oh, I'm sure that's not true."

"Yes because whenever Lovi comes over to our house and Toni is there, he pays more attention to him!"

"Hmm, is that so?"

"Yeah!"

"Well I'll let you in on a little secret."

"Really?"

"Yes." He looked around and whispered. "But it's so secret that we have to go someplace quieter so nobody can hear us."

"My mommy says I can't go places without asking her permission."

"Oh that's okay then. We'll just stay here since this place is pretty quiet with all these huge trees anyway, but you have to promise not to tell this secret to anybody okay?"

"Okay!"

"You see that tree over there?"

"Yeah."

"There's a marble underneath the leaves. If you find it, then I'll tell you the secret."

"But what if I can't find it?"

"Then I'll have to tell Lovi this secret."

"No! If you tell him then Toni will listen to him a lot more! Okay I'll go find it! Just don't tell Lovi!"

The man chuckled and nodded. Manuel ran over to the tree and got on his knees, looking for the marble, but no matter how many leaves he overturned, there was none.

"Hmm? I can't find it…"

"You can't?" the man asked, now crouching behind him.

"Yeah I…I can't. But I won't give up!"

He chuckled. "It's okay. I'll tell you the secret anyway, because you tried so hard!"

"Really? Thanks!"

"By the way, what's your name?"

"My name is Manuel, but everyone calls me Manny!"

"Oh, it's nice to meet you Manny. I've never heard a name like that. Where are you from?"

"Mexico!"

"…really?"

"Yes. My parents wanted us to get out of there though, so we moved here."

"Oh I see. Your parents must be proud."

"Why?"

"Because you can speak English well."

"Oh, but sometimes people can't understand me and I can't say big words in English, but I'm practicing every day! Can you tell?"

"Yes I can. Good job, and keep on practicing. You know, I'm sure your parents are proud for something else."

"Really? What?"

"They have a cute son. Has anyone ever told you that you're cute?"

"Mommy's friends always tell me that when they visit, and my family does too."

"Well they're not lying. You really are cute Manuel."

"Thank you!"

He felt weird when the man began to pet his head a bit too affectionately. "_Very cute._"

"Uhm… I think Toni might be worried so I'm going to leave. It was nice meeting you mister," he said as he got up.

"But I haven't told you the secret."

Manuel's arm was grabbed forcefully, causing him to become scared. "You're hurting me! Let go of my arm!"

"Don't you want to know the secret?"

"Not if you're going to be mean about it! I don't like mean people!"

The man grabbed Manuel's other arm, causing the little boy's eyes to widen in fear.

"You look even cuter with those big eyes of yours. So innocent."

"Let me go! It hurts!"

"You said you wanted to know the secret, so I'm not going to back down on my word."

When Manuel felt his back slam onto the leafy ground, he gave a cry.

"Stop it! _¡__Me estas lastimando!_"

"I don't speak Spanish, so I don't know what that means. You're out of luck kid."

Manuel couldn't comprehend what was happening to him after that. All he knew was that he was in pain and he was cold. His cries were muffled by his own shirt being tied around his mouth. But he wouldn't give up, because Antonio had told him that he needed to be strong all the time so nobody can pick on him, but the more he thrashed about, the more pain his body was in.

Through the shedding of his tears, he could've sworn he saw Antonio from a distance, staring and not moving a muscle. Manuel tried to call out for him, but his pleas for help were muffled by the fabric. No matter how hard he tried to get free, he couldn't. Eventually he gave up and just cried.

The Spanish boy stood frozen on the spot. He had been searching for Manuel everywhere, but when he found him with this man, he didn't know what to think. His first reaction would have been 'Leave my cousin alone!' because he had saved him from bullies before. But what he was witnessing was not mere bullying. He actually did not know what to think of it. All he knew how to do when he finally saw the man stand upright, was run.

He ran as fast as his legs could carry him. He didn't look back, tears filling his eyes in fear. All he kept thinking was if Lovino and Feliciano were safe. But even when he reached the sandbox, he didn't calm down. He grabbed their hands and made them run with him to their mothers.

When Maria saw how panicked he was, she asked him to calm down, but he wouldn't stop crying. He told her he saw a man hurting Manuel, and that he was doing "weird" things to him and touching him places that he knew weren't supposed to be touched because his teacher had told him this before.

Maria looked horrified and called out her son's name, demanding Antonio to take her where he saw his cousin. Sofia held her two boys close and dialed frantically on her phone, trying to get in touch with the police as fast as she could, her own voice shaking. By Antonio's descriptions, she knew what was going on, and she held her boys closer, ignoring their questions about what was happening.

But by the time the police came, it was too late. The commotion a scene at the park, the other parents wondering what had happened. When they found Maria, she was holding on to her son as tightly as possible, Manuel crying into her chest, her jacket covering him. Antonio stood there sobbing, trying to wipe his tears away. The officers tried to question Manuel as softly as possible but he didn't stop crying and he never tore himself away from his mother.

Antonio tugged on their uniform and said to catch the man that hurt his cousin. He shouted at them what he saw, and he cried all the while. They couldn't get down a description through his sobs until one lady officer tried to soothe him, telling him everything was going to be alright, and that they'll catch the man that did this to his beloved cousin. Antonio tried to stop crying, still sniffing his tears and mucus away while the lady asked him kindly about how the man looked. He tried to remember as best as he could, even if he only caught a glimpse when the criminal stood up and turned around.

He heard them say something about this not being the first case they heard from the suspect, but he had no idea what that meant. All he did was ask them frantically to find whoever did this. They tried to reassure him that everything was going to be fine and that justice is always served.

Manuel never saw Antonio the same way again. He would ignore him when he'd come over and stay quiet whenever he'd ask if he wanted to play. Feliciano and Lovino never knew what had happened. They asked their mother countless times but she always changed the subject. It wasn't until when both Manuel and Antonio were old enough to understand such a concept that Maria explained to them what happened. This made Manuel even angrier and caused him to dislike Antonio further. In addition, he began to resent Lovino, because if it hadn't been for him, Manuel would have not gotten angry and he would not have wandered off by himself. They suggested therapy for him when he reached his teenage years, but he said he didn't need it.

He felt ashamed, and decided it was best to forget about it and move on with his life since nothing could be done except to wait for the police to catch the offender.

_End of Flashback_

The Italian brothers stood there in shock, not sure how to respond. The rest of the group stared at Manuel. He didn't care what was going on through their minds at this point. He was just satisfied that they all knew the truth so they didn't bug him about it ever again.

"Are you happy now?" he asked. "After so many of you asking why I'm so bitter toward Antonio?"

"Manny…I'm…I'm so sorry," Feliciano said.

"I don't need your pity. What I need is for everyone to get off my back about my feud with Antonio. It happened to me, not to anyone else, so I don't know why people still give a shit about this."

"Manuel, I can't tell you how much I regret not doing something instead of just staring…" Antonio said. "But please…understand that…I was just as young as you and I had never seen that—"

"You knew that if anybody were to touch you in certain places, it was a bad thing."

"But you also knew this, so why didn't you run before it got worse?!"

"How the fuck was I supposed to escape?! That guy was bigger than me! For crying out loud I was seven years old!"

"You know you're not supposed to talk to strangers! So even if I did witness this, it's not my fault, nor is it Lovino's fault that this happened to you! If you ask me, it's more like this is _your_ fau—"

His jaw met with Manuel's fist, causing blood to drip down the side of Antonio's mouth. He saw Manuel trembling, looking enraged. Antonio realized his mistake and said, "I'm…I'm sorry. I didn't mean…I didn't mean to say that!" He cringed at the pain throbbing in his jaw, trying to wipe the blood off.

"My fault? So you're telling me it's my own fault that happened to me? Ha, yeah, like I was _asking_ to have some random guy's dick up my ass. What the hell is wrong with you, blaming the victim?!"

"Manny, I said I was sorry—!"

"Sorry doesn't cut it Antonio! I was little! And you said you'd always protect me! You know kids believe anything at that age! I looked up to you! I depended on you! But when I saw you stand there and do nothing…I knew you were a liar."

"Manny please—"

"You know, that's why I don't have somebody who I would consider my hero, because the first person I tried to see that way, ended up failing me when I needed him the most. You play the favorite game Antonio, and that's one of the things I hate in the entire world."

He shook his head at him and then said, "So I hope you all never bother me again about this. Now you know, so just drop it. I'd like to get on with my life if that's alright with the rest of you. Any objections?"

Nobody said anything in response. "That's what I thought."

The teen sat on a large rock a distance away from the rest, his back toward them. He didn't need to see the pity written clearly on their faces because he would have none of that. What good would that do anybody? He didn't need sympathy. What he needed was for that man to be caught and sent to prison. Then perhaps other children would be spared from such an atrocity.

The atmosphere changed with the large group after hearing about such an account. Manuel noticed and said loud enough for them to hear him, "If you guys stay quiet and look all sad and shit, you're going to ruin this vacation for yourselves. I could care less in all honesty. You'll get over your shock within a few hours. Go back to whatever you were doing before I started venting."

Eventually after murmurs from his friends and the parents, they managed to continue on with their business, though that didn't make Antonio feel any better, nor did it make Lovino or Feliciano satisfied knowing the truth about that day.

Alfred wasn't sure how to feel about the whole thing. Manuel was his best friend, and now that he knew what happened to make him so rude toward his cousin and Lovino, he regretted ever desiring to know the cause for the tension. Kiku felt the same.

Francis and Gilbert tried to cheer up Antonio over their lunch, but he continued to be a sad sack of potatoes, which was rare considering he was one of the most optimistic people in their year.

"Alfred, you already ate three sandwiches," Arthur told him as he saw the blonde preparing another.

"It's not for me. It's for Manny. He's been sitting over there by his lonesome ever since he finished venting."

"He's just trying to calm himself I believe."

"Well he still needs to eat."

"Lovino already beat you to it."

"Huh?"

Arthur pointed at the Italian who was making his way over to Manuel, a plate of lunch in his hands.

"What's he doing?"

"I think he wants to reconcile with him. Both Lovino and Manuel are hotheads, a known fact to all of us here, but considering that he's older, I suppose he's trying to act as the mature one."

"Oh. Well I wish him luck then…" Alfred really wanted to be the one to talk with Manuel since he felt like a bad friend if he didn't, but he decided that it was more important for the Italian to make amends with him.

Manuel heard somebody approach him, but he didn't turn around from his spot. Lovino wasn't sure what to say to him. He could say "Here's your lunch" but that would sound a bit insensitive in his opinion.

"...hey," he said plainly.

"Hey."

"…well…everyone is eating lunch now. You didn't come over to get anything so…I figured you might be hungry. Ehm, here's a plate for ya. It's a turkey sandwich with some chips, and then your mom wanted me to give you this tuperware of mangos since you like those… Ah, and here's a soda. Just make sure to either throw it away in the trash inside the bathroom or bring it back to us since we're taking all the cans down with us. There's a recycling bin near our campsite."

"Okay."

He still didn't turn around, but this didn't make Lovino angry. If anything, it made him more eager to speak with him. He sighed and walked around to face the other. He held out the plate and the square plastic box.

"You eat a lot like Feli and myself, so I know you're hungry. You're gonna need energy when we hike back down y'know."

"Yeah…" He took the food. "Thanks."

"No…no problem…"

Manuel didn't care if Lovino stood in front of him, still watching while he ate. He expected as much after what he revealed to him.

"Can I sit down?"

"It's not my rock. Go ahead. I don't care."

Lovino sat down next to him, looking in random directions while the awkward silence still floated in the air.

"I really am sorry for what happened. I-I-I know you don't want to hear sympathy or whatever, but I truly am sorry Manny…"

"…it's not your fault. All these years, I blamed him and you for what happened that day, but…I shouldn't have. We were all kids. Of course we wouldn't understand what was happening, so how can it be the fault of either one of you?" He gave a short laugh, a somber smile on his face. "Maybe Antonio's right. I probably caused it."

"No…no you didn't. Like you said earlier, nobody asks for r—_things_ like that to happen to them."

"I don't care if you say the word 'rape'. Doesn't bother me. Like I said, it happened years ago. There's nothing that can be done about it."

"But that doesn't mean you can pretend it didn't happen."

"I'm not pretending. I'm just choosing to ignore it. I can't do anything else about it except wait for the cops to say they found the guy…" He sighed. "But who knows when the hell that'll be anyway." Manuel looked at him, and tried not to get upset. "You know, when you look at me with that face full of pity, it makes my blood boil."

"Well I'm sorry, but how do you want me to feel? Happy that it happened to you instead of me?"

"No. I'd hate you forever if you actually felt that way."

"I don't, so you can rest easy knowing that much." He scratched the back of his head, not sure how to carry on the conversation.

"Why are you still here Lovino? Is there something I can do for you?"

"No…"

"If you're gonna ask me how it felt to have that shit done to my body, go ask another rape victim 'cause I'm not about to reenact what happened."

"I wouldn't ever ask that Manny."

"Then what?"

"…I know it won't be easy for you, but…forgive Antonio. I know he's an idiot and that he can be annoying, but he's not a bad person… The guy is near being clinically depressed because you won't forgive him."

"There're pills for that," he said nonchalantly as he stuffed his face with chips.

"No, you're missing the point of what I'm trying to say."

"Then what is it?"

"…Antonio really does care about you a lot you know. He honestly does love you Manny."

He stood quiet and switched to drinking his soda.

"Whenever he, Feli, and myself hang out, he always asks us 'Hey would Manny like this if I bought it for him?' or 'Do you think Manny would like to come here one weekend?' and just things like that."

"He feels guilty. That's the only reason for him saying such things."

"No it's not."

"And how would you know this as a fact?"

"…I just do."

Manuel did not look impressed.

"What I mean is…" He gave a heavy sigh. "…well the truth is…there were a lot of times…when I'd get jealous of you."

"Well I know I'm handsome and everything but—"

"No not about that! I'm being serious here! Don't make a joke outta it!"

"Okay okay. Sorry…"

"Even though…Antonio hung around me more…he'd never stop talking about you."

Manuel was quiet and waited for Lovino to continue.

"He'd always tell me of a time when you guys took a family vacation or when you did something that he thought was cute…" He huffed. "B-But the point is…there was never a day, since I first met him, that he wouldn't mention you in one of his conversations."

"…really?"

"Yeah. Remember that day in ninth grade when you skipped school because we had an English essay due?"

"…I didn't skip. I was…sick."

"Sure. That's the same excuse I used when I missed a huge math test because I didn't study. But anyway, do you remember what was the topic we had to write about?"

"…no."

"It was about the most important person in our lives. A lot of people wrote about their parents and then the deluded guys with chicks or the chicks with guys wrote about their 'honey' or some shit, which is funny considering about half of them broke up by this point!" He laughed, but Manuel stared at him with a straight face.

Lovino cleared his throat and his cheeks reddened from embarrassment. "Anyway, do you know what Antonio wrote about?"

"You and your brother I'm sure. Or maybe just you."

"No. He wrote about you actually."

Manuel looked at him in surprise. "Seriously?"

"Yeah. He said that you were the most important to him, because he could tell you anything and you would keep it, and that if he needed somebody to play with, you were always the first to offer to keep him company."

"That's not enough for somebody to be an important person. And it sounds more like I was convenient for him when he needed it."

"Wh—well it's not what he meant! When he spoke about you…well he said it with such happiness and some other sappy stuff I forgot. You know how that pansy is. But…I haven't ever seen him talk about somebody with so much vigor before. It made me…jealous."

"Why?"

"Jealous because…I was hoping that I would be the important person to him, since I'm his...closest friend, at least that's what I think. I mean…I thought he was going to name his parents or somebody who was an authority figure, but instead it was you, his little cousin Manuel."

"I'm sure he only said that because he feels—"

"Stop it with the guilty routine already! That's not why he wrote it! My God you're even more stubborn than I am! Don't you understand? Before anything else, family is the most important to him, with you at the top! He adores you Manny! Hell I'm sure if you two weren't related he'd be after you!"

"Yeah _that's_ the kind of mental image I want right now."

"Look, the point I'm trying to make is that he sincerely cares about you. If he didn't, he wouldn't try so hard to gain your forgiveness, nor would he even feel _guilty_ as you say, about what happened."

Manuel looked at his shoes.

"If you're unhappy, then that makes Antonio unhappy. I don't…like to see him like that. I'd rather him be his happy annoying self than all sad and mopey…"

"Lovino…"

"Hmm?"

"You care about Toni more than just a friend, don't you?"

His face flushed pink. "N-No! It's just…h-he's more annoying when he's sad than when he's happy!"

Manuel chuckled. "Your face says otherwise."

"Look are you gonna forgive him or not?"

"…I will eventually. Just not today."

"Then when?"

"When I do, you'll be the first to hear it from him."

"You're difficult to get along with, taco face."

"You're not a walk in the park either pasta face."

The two smiled a bit, not having called each other by those childish names for a long time.

"But…I will promise you that I'll try to get along with him _poco a poco._"

"What does that mean?"

"It means 'little by little' in Spanish. I thought you knew the language?"

"Only the curse words."

"Ha ha! Same with Alfredo."

"…so are you going to come join us?"

"No. I actually want to sit here and think things out. But I won't be all mopey the entire week. You can be sure of that. I can feel sorry for myself anywhere at any time. But that won't help anybody either, so there's no point."

"Ah."

"Thanks for the lunch though. I was getting hungry."

"It's your own fault for being stubborn. I didn't want you complaining."

"Why, because then Antonio would be all over me or what? You gonna get jealous again?"

"No that is not why! Look, I actually _care_ about people other than myself Manny."

"Aww, you care about me? Really? I'm touched."

"Tch. Don't flatter yourself too much."

"You know, Toni is right. You are pretty cute when you blush."

"Okay now you're being just creepy!"

Manuel laughed. "And your face got redder! You like compliments huh?"

"Be quiet! You like to troll me don't you?"

"Maybe ~"

"You suck."

"But you can't live without me, because then you wouldn't try so hard to gain Antonio's affections and ultimately make him fall in love with you and share that passionate kiss under the sunset of the beach on a white stallion."

"What the hell? You watch too many of those Mexican dramas!"

Manuel laughed again. "They're entertaining!"

"Man you _are_ related to him! You act just the same!"

"Except I don't do that 'buhyoo' thing, unless you want me to?"

"No!"

"Oh we're just an affectionate family is all," he said with a shrug.

"Yeah I can tell! But at least it's good to see that you're back to normal, even though I'm not sure if that's a good thing."

"Ha ha, well it is! And now you can brag about how it was you, Lovino Vargas, who was able to bring me, Manuel Antonio de la Cruz Sanchez, out of my pool of self-pity."

"Why would I brag about that?"

"Because nobody likes to see me sad."

"Conceited bitch."

"Takes one to know one."

"Argh! Troll!"

Though Lovino was angry on the outside, he felt relieved that Manuel had turned back to his normal self on the inside. He wasn't as close to him as Antonio was, but he was still a person the Spaniard held dear, so if he was that important to him, Lovino figured he might as well try to get along. He had to show everyone he was the bigger individual.

"You see Toni?" Gilbert said, pointing toward the two. "Look, Lovi and Manny seem to be on laughing terms again. Everything's fine!"

"Yes don't beat yourself up about it so much," Francis added. "Manuel seems to have calmed down and gotten over the argument."

"I'm glad that Manny and Lovi are friends now, but that still doesn't change how he'll act toward me!" he cried.

His two friends sighed and patted his back.

* * *

When everyone returned to the campsite, they had the fish they caught for dinner. Nobody brought up the argument from earlier, and they tried not to show too much sympathy for Manuel by offering him first picks of everything, lest he blow up again.

Kiku tried not to ask too many questions about it either, but when it was time to sleep, he brought it up with Alfred. "I didn't think something like that could have happened to Manuel-san. He is usually a very happy person."

"Sometimes the happiest of people are the saddest on the inside," Alfred responded. "They'll put on a fake smile so you can't tell something's bothering them. Manny's really good at that, and he's just a person who hates it when people feel sorry for him. He thinks it's a form of them looking down on him, which is another thing he really dislikes."

"But that is not the case at all! It is just them showing that they care!"

"Well Manny's always been a prideful guy. That's how he thinks. But not to worry. He gets over things pretty quickly, even if he can't forget them. At least now we know why he acts that way toward Toni, though I do wish he'd try to get along with him…"

Matthew smiled. "Who knows? Maybe now that he's gotten this off his chest, Manuel will attempt to make amends with him."

"I hope so. Well, we better get some sleep. Tomorrow is another day of fun!"

"What are we going to do Alfred-san?"

"Mom hasn't told us yet, so we'll just have to wait and find out!"

"Oh, alright."

"Good night Matt and Kiku!"

"Night Al."

"Good night Alfred-san."

When the lamp was turned off, Alfred fell asleep almost immediately. What he had told Kiku about the happiest of people made the boy wonder if Alfred was actually hurting on the inside over something. Aside from Antonio and Manuel, Alfred was one of the most cheerful and optimistic individuals he had ever met in his life.

But taking Manuel's situation as an example, if Alfred really was keeping something to himself, Kiku wasn't sure he wanted to know what the matter pertained to. He would hate to see his blonde friend with anything but a smile on his face.

* * *

A/N: I'm hoping that this didn't offend anybody, the flashback scene I mean. In all honesty, I was _very_ hesitant to write this chapter because rape is an extremely sensitive subject and should never be taken lightly, hence why this chapter took forever to be posted. Researching this topic is saddening, because...well it's just horrifying to know that children, the most innocent stage in a human's life, are sometimes victims of such a horrible crime. I never really thought it classy for people to joke about rape. That's why I get upset when some people in the Hetalia fandom think it's amusing for Spain, France, and Russia to be associated with such a word. Maybe it's only just me with these opinions, but no, I don't think Russia is a psychopath who rapes for fun, no, I don't think France rapes people because for crying out loud, he prides himself in the art of love-making, so why would he do such a thing? And no, I do not think Spain is a pedophile. What's wrong with a man having a fondness for children? I actually think it makes him _depressed_ to hear about a case of child rape because he views them as such precious and innocent beings that having something so horrendous done to them such as sexual abuse throws him into a rage.

So sorry for my rant, but...I get...touchy, with certain topics.

Well, now you all know what happened to Manuel. Earlier on in the story, he actually showed common signs of the post-traumatic stress. One of them is that he's angry often, but the biggest one is he wants to ignore it and forget about it to move on with his life. Some victims either talk about it all the time because it's so traumatizing that it won't leave their conscious, and others leave it in their past because they'd rather not remember it and look toward the future. I would go more into detail on this but...perhaps it's better if you read up on it for yourselves... Ah ha, talking about this makes me sad...

Dihydrogen monoxide is H2O by the way, which is water. I like to keep my vocabulary extensive.

Tried to add some Ameripan fluff. Remember that Alfred is _straight _in this story (well at least for now) and that Kiku is getting over Heracles, so that's why their relationship is progressing at a steady pace. Sorry that yet again this chapter was more Manuel-centric. I promise that I'll try not to do this anymore, because this story is Alfred/Kiku for crying out loud! (Though I _am_ happy that Manuel is likable to most, if not all of you.)

The forest they're camping at is supposed to be somewhat of a replica of Yosemite National Park, which is located in California. Why did I use this as a model? Because I actually went to Yosemite and climbed up a strenuous trail to reach the top of the water fall. orz I used my memories from there to write this, except I omitted the fact that I fed the squirrels ha ha. What? They were cute and I got to pet them when they sat on my lap!_  
_

This has been the longest chapter I've ever written for any of my stories. It's over 15,000 words, not including this long author's note.

Erm, well anyway, again I apologize for being slow with updates. I was absorbed in watching new anime series and then busying myself with my city's anime convention about two weeks ago... Plus the more complex the chapter, the longer it takes for me to write them.

By the way, if you haven't watched or read them already, I recommend to you the anime series Blue Exorcist and AnoHana. They're both quite good. The latter might make you cry though if you're a sensitive person, but it's worth it. And though it's an older series, try Gurren Lagann if you haven't. I finished it about two weeks ago. All three of these I enjoyed very much, so you might too ~ Also, if you haven't already, One Piece. The length of the series is intimidating yes, because believe me I've been there so I know, but it's so worth it. _Every moment._

Shameless advertising is shameless. -cough- Uh, sorry for my long author's notes, but I like to talk to my readers ha ha. I hope these things are not annoying. orz

Anyway, my thanks goes out to everyone reading this story. I will try to make this fanfiction as interesting as possible! Until the next chapter!


	12. Piece by Piece

Chapter 12: Piece by Piece

Unlike the day before, Kiku was the first one from his tent to wake up. Alfred and Matthew were still heavily asleep next to him. The lithe teen wrapped his arms around himself, for it was cold in the mornings, something he thought was odd considering it was rather hot during the day. _It is probably a mountain thing…_

Deciding to wash himself up, he took his toothbrush and toothpaste from his bag along with a small towel and some soap to wash his face. With his essentials, he exited the tent and found that Maria was already up, sitting down on one of the folding chairs with a mug of coffee in her hands. She noticed the boy and smiled. "_Buenos dias Kiku._"

"Good morning Sanchez-san," he replied. "Are you the first one up?"

"Yes, I tend to be every year for some reason," she chuckled. "I just like sitting out here, viewing the beautiful scenery and enjoying the tranquility of the morning. Sometimes I wish I lived here in the mountains, but I know my children wouldn't be too fond of it. They're so used to the city life."

"The forest is beautiful, but it is not for everyone. I am sure that your family is having an enjoyable time though."

"For the most part, yes. The girls and my husband are still asleep."

"And Manuel-san?"

"Oh he's an early riser sometimes so he went to the restrooms over there." She pointed past the other RVs to the wooden facility in the distance. "I take it you want to freshen up as well right?"

"Y-Yes, I do. I thought I was going to be tired from all the hiking yesterday, but I suppose not," he said as he gave a small chuckle.

Maria smiled in response. "Well for it being your first time, you did pretty well! You should be able to meet up with Manny in the restrooms. I'm going to start on breakfast soon."

"Do you know what we'll be doing today Sanchez-san?"

"We're going on a trail."

"…you mean like the one from yesterday?"

"Oh, no this one is just sightseeing ha ha! There's a beautiful trail near here that attracts a lot of tourists. We're going to go there, and then to the small town to just take a look around."

"That sounds like an eventful day."

"It will be!"

Kiku excused himself and then headed over to the restrooms. He crossed a small wooden bridge where a narrow creek ran under it, the sound of water soothing his ears. He went into the men's section of the facility and saw Manuel yawning and stretching. He was still in his sleeping attire, probably because it was cold. From the mirror he saw Kiku and gave a big smile.

"_Buenos dias Kiku!_ Didn't think you'd get up this early since the hike yesterday seemed to tire you out!"

"Good morning Manuel-san. Uhm, well yes, the hike was rather strenuous but I wake up early naturally, so no matter what kind of physical activity I do, I'll be one of the first people up."

"That's good. Early bird catches the worm like the old saying goes!" He began to apply toothpaste to his own toothbrush as Kiku excused himself to use the toilet. When the latter was finished, he found Manuel scrubbing his teeth vigorously, a determined expression reflected in the mirror. Kiku smiled a bit.

"You are very enthusiastic about cleaning your teeth."

"Ah nah, it's just I don't wanna get any cavities," he said, his words muffled by the toothbrush. He rinsed and then spit into the sink, examining his teeth. "I already have one that got filled, so I don't want another one. I hate going to the dentist."

Kiku chuckled a bit and began to brush his own teeth as Manuel washed his face. As he stared in the mirror and tried not to laugh at Manuel's cries because the water was frigid cold, his mind wandered back to yesterday when he learned about the dark past of his classmate. He had the greatest itch to tell Manuel he was sincerely sorry that such an atrocity happened to him, but he felt it might anger the boy so he tried to keep his comments to himself.

"Is there something wrong Kiku?" Manuel asked as he dried his face with a towel. Quickly Kiku rinsed and responded timidly, "Uhm…n-no… My mind was just in deep thought."

"About what, if you don't mind me asking?"

Well it was better to tell the truth than lie, so Kiku took a pause and then said, "…about what you told everyone yesterday…concerning your childhood…"

"Oh, _that._ Figured it wouldn't get off your mind anytime soon."

"I-I-I'm very sorry for bringing it up but uhm…I know you don't want to hear it…but I'm truly sorry for…for what happened to you…"

"Eh, I don't care anymore in all honesty. I can't do anything about it, but I guess it was better that it happened to me instead of my sisters—"

"No don't say that!"

Manuel went wide-eyed at Kiku's outburst.

"Uh…"

"Wh-What I mean to say is…don't…don't have that kind of mentality Manuel-san. Don't blame yourself. It's not…healthy for you."

His expression seemed to soften a bit. "Yeah I know. That's why I try not to think about it so much. But hey, shit happens, and sometimes it's out of our control." He shrugged and folded up his towel.

"Are you ever going to speak with Antonio-san again?"

"I will, eventually."

"Oh, that's good. Family shouldn't stay upset at one anoth—"

"He's not family."

"…well I know you're upset with him because of the past but that doesn't seem like a valid reason to not consider him—"

"No like, I mean he really _isn't_ family by blood."

"…what?"

"You didn't know?"

"…know what?"

"…Kiku, Antonio isn't really my cousin."

"…then what is he?"

"The son of a long-time family friend. He's just been around me and my nuclear family so much that people thought he was my cousin or something, so we just went with it. We're actually not related at all."

"…I was not aware of this…"

"Yeah, I figured. Everyone else is, 'cept Lovi and Feli. I figured it wasn't important to tell them. No biggie."

"But then why do they continue to refer to him as your cousin?"

"Because I don't want him to be considered my friend. It's easier if he's considered as a relative…even though that too has its downsides."

"Why?"

"I have my reasons."

"Manuel-san, I apologize for being so straight-forward, but with your behavior toward him, it makes me question, do you perhaps like Antonio-san more than a fr—"

"Nope."

_That was a rather quick response._ "Oh…well, alright then. I suppose it's only Lovino-san who seems to act that way toward him."

"Yeah, seems like it huh? I seriously think he has a thing for him," he chuckled.

"Ah, yes. I'm sorry I asked, it's just, as I've said before, you have a lot of the characteristics of a _tsundere _type character and usually behavior of that manner toward another person can merit some kind of romantic attachment to—"

"Well let's take a few steps back here. One, I'm not gay, and two, I _still_ don't even really understand what a _tsundere_ is. You and Alfredo have some weird terminology with all your anime stuff."

Kiku blushed. "Y-Yes Alfred-san seems to be the only one to understand what I'm talking about…"

Manuel smiled. "He's a good match for you!"

"Wh-What?"

"Alfredo. He's a good match for you as a friend! The two of you can relate to each other quite a bit."

"Oh, yes…that's true."

"You'd make a cute couple if you two were on the same team, and I'd support it all the way ha ha!"

Kiku blushed heavily and fiddled around with his toothbrush. "No that is…that is not…"

"I'm only messing with you! Don't get so flustered!" Manuel gave a chuckle and ruffled the other's hair. "But seriously, it's great you have a friend like Alfredo. He's a good guy."

"Yes, I know. I am very thankful for his friendship and all that he and his family have done for me. But…but I am also thankful toward you and everyone else for embracing me and including me in activities you do together."

"Aww Kiku. Of course!"

Manuel waited for the Japanese teen to finish his business and then the two of them headed over back to their campsite. Kiku noticed a few other people had started to rise from their slumber, but typical Alfred still lay on the mattress, looking as comfortable as ever. Matthew wasn't around so he assumed he had already left outside.

Kiku put his toothbrush and toothpaste away and then began to change his clothes. He would probably die of embarrassment had Alfred woken up, even though he undressed all the time in front of him after baseball practice. Lately though, Kiku had been more self-conscious around the boy and he wasn't sure why. He felt uncomfortable being around a lot of people, so this was nothing right? Right.

Alfred opened his eyes just after Kiku had finished dressing. He yawned and then sat up, stretching. Noticing the other in the tent, he smiled and greeted, "Mornin' Kiku!"

"Good morning Alfred-san. Did you sleep well?"

"Yeah I sure did! You're pretty warm, y'know that?"

"Uhm…n-no I did not…"

"Aww, blushing so early in the day already? Too cute Kiku. Too cute."

This didn't help drain the color in his face back to normal. It only made it worse.

By eight everyone had already gotten up and eaten breakfast, or were in the process of it. Emily wanted to make most of their day, so she was on a set time schedule. The adults ushered the teens into the cars, but the Jones and Sanchez family had to take their large RV.

As Jose was driving, Kiku sat patiently inside with his camera in his lap. Alfred sat down next to him as he snacked on a Hostess cupcake like the glutton he was. "You excited Kiku?"

"Yes I am. Because I was a bit tired out from yesterday due to the hike, and because I attempted to fish, I didn't really get to take pictures of the scenery aside from the waterfall and photos of our group. Since we are going on a trail that is not hazardous in the least, I'd like to put my camera to good use."

"Sounds cool! There's a lot of pretty stuff where we'll be going. Seriously, you won't wanna leave."

Matthew noticed Manuel was texting somebody on this phone with a smile on his face. Trying not to sound nosy, he attempted to be nonchalant by asking, "So Manuel, what are you gonna do on this hike?"

"Huh? Oh, well I usually just go and look at the trees and stuff, but Lovino and I are gonna have a drawing contest. We need to pick a plant and then an animal, so when we leave the site where the trail is, we're gonna have people judge them and see who's the better artist!"

"That sounds like fun."

"Oh it will be alright. I'm gonna win. Artistic talent is in my blood!"

Maria smiled and shook her head, Emily ruffling Manuel's hair.

"I'm sure both you and Lovi will do really well!" Antonio said, trying to strike up conversation with him, but he was ignored. Kiku noticed the immediate frown that appeared on his face when this happened.

_I feel bad for Antonio-san_, he thought. _I don't think it's fair that Manuel-san continues to give him such cold treatment… But I haven't known either of them for very long, so I'm not sure if I'm in a position to say anything… Well, at least he and Lovino-san are getting along._

Kiku was told on the ride that they would be stopping at two places for sight-seeing. The first one wasn't really a trail, but it was a small lake that had islets with a bridge connecting them. In the distance there was a waterfall that didn't even compare in size to the one from the day prior.

"How on earth is it this cold so early in the morning in spring?" Kiku said to himself as he followed the group to the bridge. He honestly wondered how Emily wasn't freezing with those shorts and top.

"Nothing like the smell of fresh morning air from the forest!" she said happily. Looking over the bridge, she saw small fishes swimming aimlessly. Next to her, Peter was scoping out a duck and her ducklings, urging Arthur to take him closer so he can see. Everyone else was scattered about, admiring the clear sky and the tranquility the rising morning sun gave the landscape.

Kiku was going camera happy as he found numerous things to photograph whether they were plants, small animals, or group photos. He stopped though when he saw Alfred standing by his lonesome with his eyes closed, his hands in the pocket of his hoodie sweater. He was smiling and had his head tilted upwards. By this point the teen learned two new facts about his closest friend. One, he loved camping and being surrounded by nature, and two, he looked very handsome regardless of the angle a person viewed him in.

Discretely lifting the camera to his eyes, Kiku focused in on his friend and was hesitant to snap a photo. It would make a good picture for sure, but the fact that Alfred was the main subject in it caused his stomach to feel strange. Not wanting to miss this perfect opportunity, he took the photo anyway and reviewed it, smiling at his success. _He really is quite attractive. Maybe I should take another, perhaps from a different perspective…_

As he was going to walk closer, he noticed Mei reached him first, trying to strike up a conversation with the tall blonde. Alfred smiled at her and began to chit chat, the girl giggling whenever he said something funny.

There was another feeling in the core of Kiku's being, and it wasn't an emotion he was used to having, nor was it a positive one. _Mei-chan is pretty but…she is not someone I'd want to take a picture of at this moment… I wish she'd move… I'm going to lose my shot._

Getting frustrated because she was standing there too long, he huffed and put his camera away. Yao was about to speak with him, something about a deer, but Kiku ignored him unintentionally and turned in the other direction. "That's strange. He seems a bit upset…"

The Chinese boy looked over at his sister and Alfred, then at Kiku's retreating form. "Hmm…"

* * *

"So Kiku, did you get any good pics?" Alfred asked when they returned to the RV. Hesitantly, the other responded.

"Yes I did, but I do not want to show them to you until our trip is over."

"But that's not for another few days!"

"I'd like to develop them all at the same time."

Alfred pouted. "Okay fine…"

Matthew walked to the back of the RV to change out of his sweater. He noticed Antonio was lying on one of the beds and looking rather miserable, hugging a pillow. "…are you okay?" he asked with worry.

"…yes, I'm fine."

"You don't look so good to me."

"…Matt, how would you feel...if somebody you cared about so so much, like Katyusha for example, didn't talk to you at all?"

"Wh-What?" he asked with a bit of surprise. "Ah ha, wh-what made you choose her as an example?"

"You are the closest to her out of all the guys, right?"

"Y-Yeah but…"

"And you care a lot about her, right?"

"W-Well yeah b-but…"

"…so how would you feel if all of a sudden, she just…stopped talking to you? That she didn't even acknowledge your presence…? How would you feel Matt?"

He knew who this was really about, but he decided to humor the Spaniard. "Well, I'd feel really horrible actually. I've known Katyusha for a while and she's really nice so I don't think she'd do something like that, but if she did, I honestly don't know how I'd handle it."

"…I see."

"…Antonio, this is about Manuel isn't it?"

"…why won't he talk to me? Why…why can he make up with Lovi, and act like buddies with him, but he can't do that with me?"

Matthew was an individual who liked to give hugs to persons in pathetic situations. Antonio was one of those people.

"I wouldn't know how to answer that," he said honestly. "I really think…you need to sit down with him and just talk."

"I try making casual conversation though, and he doesn't even pay attention to me!"

"I think he's still upset from yesterday. I haven't been in his position so I wouldn't know, but people who were victims of that…well, some recover quickly, and some don't. Manuel is…probably somewhere in between. You just need to give him time."

"But how _much_ time? I'm getting tired of him not talking to me like normal anymore and how he always gives me that cold look. Sometimes I just want to force him to sit down and look me in the eye so I can yell at him!"

"That wouldn't be very progressive though…"

Antonio sighed. "I know… I just wish…he'd like being around me, like before that traumatic experience happened. It's not my fault…so why does he act like it is? I was just as young… He doesn't know how bad I feel about the whole thing, how much I want to make it up to him. I wish he'd just forgive me…" He held the pillow tighter. "He doesn't know how much…" He spaced out.

"How much what?"

The Spaniard smiled and shook his head. "It's nothing. Are we almost to the second destination? I think if I walk a little by myself, I'll feel better."

"Uhm, yeah I think so."

"Oh good. I think I just need fresh air."

"Well, alright Antonio. If you say so." The younger Jones twin was honestly worried about his friend, but he was really of no aid in this kind of situation.

* * *

Kiku's eyes widened when they got to the second trail. "Oh goodness. These trees are rather large!"

"Yup!" Alfred said, hands on his hips. "If you walk inside, it looks even cooler!" The rest of the friends had already ventured forward, so the American pulled Kiku along.

"What are you gonna take pictures of?" he asked as they walked along the trail, gazing everywhere.

"There is so much vivid detail in these woods," he responded. "so I'm not sure where I'm supposed to start."

"How about there?"

Alfred pointed to a large log with moss growing on it that acted as a bridge over a very small and shallow creek. "Somebody can stand on it and you can take group photos!"

"Oh, well yes I suppose that's a good idea."

"Here, I'll go first. Make sure to catch my good side!"

Kiku nodded with a pink tint on his cheeks as the lovable oaf posed for him. He dragged along his twin to do the same, then forced Manuel to stand in between them, and little by little urged the rest of the teens to balance themselves on the log.

"I swear if I fall, I will kill you," Arthur said, holding on to Peter with one hand, and Francis' shoulder with the other.

"Oh relax Artie. You can just climb back up anyway."

"And if not, I shall carry you in my arms like a lovely blushing bride ~"

"Shut your mouth you wretched amphibian!"

"Gilbert, let go of my waist."

"C'mon I'm trying to balance myself here."

"Yeah but your hand keeps going south!"

"It's not my fault you have a nice ass Liz."

The Hungarian pushed him off and watched him fall on his rump. "Oh fuck!" he said as he strained to get up. "There's no water here to break my fall you bitch!"

"That's what you get for trying to scope a feel you pervert!"

Ludwig pinched his temple and looked stressed as Feliciano attempted to help Gilbert back on his feet. Kiku wasn't sure whether to giggle or to look concerned.

"Okay guys, lunch break!" Emily said as they came to a clearing with less trees bunched up together. There were benches on either side of the T-shaped cement trail, but some preferred to sit on large rocks. There was a rather small waterfall a few feet away where other tourists were posing for pictures, so some left to eat nearby.

Feliciano clung to his older brother's shoulder as he watched him draw a horse one of the rangers brought over. Matthew and Katyusha went over to go and see it, along with Peter and Arthur, the latter forced to go by his mother.

"That's a nice drawing!" he commented.

"Thanks," Lovino responded as he grabbed a black pastel from the tin case. "I tried to pick something challenging. I'm gonna win this contest for sure!"

"Oh but I think you and Manny will have a tie! You're both really good at artistic stuff!"

"We'll see by the time we return to the campsite. I just wish Matt and the others would stop fucking moving so I can draw them properly!"

"Lovi, Kat's boobs aren't that big."

"…look I'm the artist here okay."

Alfred watched in amusement as Lovino tried to shoo away his younger brother so he could concentrate. He bit into his sandwich and then his sight was set on his best friend who was drawing a lovely flower with a butterfly nestled in the center of it. "So glad those two are getting along now," he said to himself. Then he noticed Antonio approaching the other. Alfred looked somewhat concerned and felt even a little bad for his friend.

"Hey, Yao?"

"Hmm?"

"Why do you think Toni tries so hard to gain Manny's forgiveness?"

"Manuel has been in Antonio's life since they were children, and from what I know, he's been the friend he's known the longest." Yao stuffed some chips into his mouth. "How do you think he would feel if all of a sudden he just stopped acknowledging his presence?"

"…he'd probably feel like shit."

"Exactly. To not be acknowledged by somebody you deeply care about, don't you think that would seriously affect a person?"

"…yeah. If that ever happened between Matt and me, or Kiku and me…man I don't know what I'd do."

"I believe that's how Antonio feels, which is why he tries so hard to prove to Manuel that he really is right there for him if he ever needs it. But then again, I wouldn't understand how Manuel is feeling since…such a…tragedy, has not happened to me."

Alfred stood quiet and watched as Yao finished his lunch and went to go join his siblings in petting the horse, which by this point was something everyone seemed to be doing. _If only Feliks were here_, thought the blonde. He looked over in Manuel's direction and saw Antonio standing behind him, watching him draw.

"So…" he began, trying to start conversation. "This is a really nice place huh?"

Manuel focused on outlining the petals on the flower.

"I saw Lovi's drawing. It's pretty good, but I really like yours too! I like how yours has more color variety!"

Still he said nothing as he blended the pink, yellow, and white with his thumb, trying to imitate the coloration of the flower.

"…you know, there's a really cute horse over there." Antonio sat down next to him on the rock between the tin case of pastels. "I know you're fond of animals, so you wanna go and pet it?"

The other began to draw the butterfly in turquoise, going over the body with black pastel. He gave the wings a thick dark outline and then picked up the turquoise again to fill them in. Manuel returned them to their rightful place on the palette when he was done and was about to pick a green for the stem of the flower, when Antonio grabbed his hand, stopping him abruptly. He looked up at him with a bit of shock, the slightest hue of rose across his face.

"…what do you want?" he asked.

"Progress," Antonio responded. "Conversation. A smile. A glance. Anything to know that _you_ know I still exist, and that there's hope for everything to go back to the way it was."

"The way it was? You mean going back to the favorite game with Lovino right? As soon as I forgive you, you'll return to giving your undivided attention to him, because that's _how_ it was before the incident. And even after it, that's _still_ how it was."

"Manny…I don't want this."

"Want what?"

"For us not to be on speaking terms."

"It would be weird if we were family, but we're not, so it makes it less awkward."

"No it doesn't, because we still hang around the same people and both our moms are still as close as ever! And why are you so against us being friends that you made everyone believe we were related? That's what I'd like to know."

"That's none of your damn business okay?"

"I think it is since it concerns me!"

"Antonio, why can't you just leave me alone?!"

He grabbed him by the shoulders. "Because I don't want you to be alone!"

The other looked at him with even more surprise.

"I don't want to ever leave you alone again. Do you even know how _horrible_ I feel about what happened that day? It's been almost a decade Manuel, a fucking decade, and I'm _still_ feeling like shit over it." Slowly he let go of him. "I want us to be friends again. I want us to do things together again. I want…I just want _us_ again."

Manuel looked at him with wide eyes as the other stared back intensely with green orbs. "…I don't understand why you can forgive Lovino, but you can't forgive me."

"…"

"Do you even know what it's like for you to pretend I don't exist at times? It's like a big chunk of my life was just taken from me."

"…a chunk of your life you've replaced with him."

"Damn it Manuel this isn't about Lovino! It's about YOU. It's _always_ been about you!"

"Antonio if you have something to say then say it to my face so I can get back to my fucking drawing okay?"

"…I can't, because you…wouldn't understand." _At least not yet._

"Then get lost. I need to finish this before we continue on the trail."

The Spanish teen looked defeated but frustrated at the same time. He tried to intimidate the other with his expression, but Manuel's will couldn't be broken so easily. Antonio knew this. He didn't know why he even tried in the first place. Slowly he got up and walked away, thinking about joining the others in petting the horse. Hopefully that would make him feel better.

Manuel shook his head and gave a "hmph" before returning to his little art project. But as he continued sketching out his model, he stopped midway and let his mind wander. A frown appeared on his face as he did so. Was he really being that harsh with Antonio? He didn't mean to make him feel like he didn't exist.

"…maybe I need to try and do my part too. After all, I don't…hate him. I could never hate a person like him…"

* * *

Kiku was rather content with the shots he took on the trail, especially the ones with his friends in them. Before heading back to the campsite, Emily suggested they stop by the local village to browse the shops. The guys didn't really care for it, but the girls were very much interested.

"Oh, this is really adorable!" Katyusha said as she picked up a rabbit plush with vintage clothing. The fabric was colored pink with a floral design on it. There was lace here and there, even on the fancy hat, complete with feathers and flowers, an oblong opalescent button adoring the top of the dress. The girl's eyes sparkled. "I'm sure it would look great in my room!" She fished through her bag but couldn't find her wallet. "…I think I forgot my money in the tent…" She looked sadly at the stuffed toy. "Well, perhaps it wasn't meant to be…" Natalia just rolled her eyes when her sister started to tear up. "Pathetic," she said under her breath.

Matthew had been watching from afar. Alfred noticed and said, "You should buy that for her."

"Huh? What are you talking about? Ah ha ha!"

"C'mon Matt don't play dumb with me." He whispered, "I already know you like her. Just admit it."

"Well I can't buy it for her!" he whispered back.

"Why not?"

"…because what if Ivan says something?"

"Dude, just say you were doing it out of kindness! He'll believe you anyway."

"O-Okay…"

"Don't worry. I'll be here watching you."

Matthew waited until Katyusha and Natalia left the shop. Then he walked over to the rack where the rabbit plushies were sitting. He picked up the one she had been looking at and took it to the register. He flinched a bit when he saw the price, but it's not like he did this often, so it didn't bother him as much. He asked for it to be giftwrapped. The paper and ribbon was also very pretty. It almost matched the rabbit.

"So I bought it…"

"Now give it to her!"

"B-But…can I just wait?"

"Why do you wanna wait?"

"…well I—"

"You gotta stop being shy Matt! She's not gonna bite you, unless you secretly want that 'cause I don't know your kinks so—"

"ALFRED!"

He laughed. "I'm kidding! Just leave it in her tent then as a surprise! Or give it to her when you two are alone!"

"That'll make things even more awkward!"

"You're thinking too hard about it bro, seriously."

The blonde noticed Antonio and Lovino walking into the store, the former cooing over the cute little trinkets on the shelves. The Italian rolled his eyes and said, "Can we please leave now?"

"Oh but I wanna buy something!"

"What could you possibly wanna buy here?"

"Something for you," he said absentmindedly. "Hmm…Lovi what do you like in this store?"

"Eh? Nothing! This place is for chicks!"

"What about this cute sweater?" Antonio lifted up a white sweater that had a bear on it wearing antlers. He was holding up a sign that said, 'Do not feed the bears.' "I'm sure you'll be really warm!"

"Fuck I said I don't want nothin'! Why don't you get that for Feli or Manny huh?"

Antonio hesitated in responding. "…well yeah, maybe Feli would like it ah ha."

Raising an eyebrow, Lovino asked, "…you're not gonna get it for Manny? You always buy stuff for him."

"…no, he doesn't need it. He doesn't need anything I give him." Not wanting to continue the conversation further, the Spanish teen hurried to the register to buy it for the younger Italian brother. Lovino looked concerned but said nothing. _Shit Manny, when are you gonna forgive this guy?_ He sighed and occupied himself with browsing aimlessly. _Can't you see what a mess you've made of him?_

The group returned to the campsite around three in the afternoon. It was Sofia's turn to cook dinner, but seeing as how the youths were bored, she suggested they walk down to the lake to occupy their time. Nobody wanted to get in the water since they were tired, so they merely hung out there.

The sunset made for a great landscape so Kiku busied himself with more photographs, subtly taking pictures of the others enjoying the scenery. He saw Antonio skipping rocks into the lake, Lovino approaching him.

"…hey."

"Oh, hello Lovi." He threw another. It skipped seven times.

"…thanks for the sweater."

"You're welcome."

"I knew you were gonna get it for me anyway."

He chuckled. "Really?"

"…yeah." There was a pause. "…I think I'll wear it tonight…since it'll get cold…y'know?"

"That makes me really happy," he said with a smile. "Wanna skip some rocks with me?"

Lovino shrugged. "Sure."

The two did this for a long time in silence. Lovino was afraid to ask Antonio what was bothering him, even though he already knew the answer. Still, it didn't hurt to try. "…you know Toni, if there's anything ever bothering you, you can always…talk to me."

"Thanks. But I'm fine, honest!"

There was a pause. Lovino skipped another rock.

"Eight."

"Hmm?"

"Eight. My rock skipped eight times. I beat you."

Antonio smiled. "So you did." He threw another rock, but this time it didn't skip. It merely fell into the water with a 'plunk', almost if on purpose.

"…Lovi, if you were in Manny's situation, would you have acted like he is now?"

"Well, I don't think so. I mean yeah I'd be pretty pissed but…you didn't know what was going on, and neither did he. Whether you're…y'know, the victim, or the witness, that shit is still scary to experience. And you guys were young so—"

"Then why does he act that way?"

"I don't know."

"Lovino," he began. "…why doesn't he like me…?"

"Well I don't think that it's he doesn't like you. I mean…you're family, so he can't seriously hate you. I think it's more like…he doesn't know how to handle the situation."

"…but what's so different between you and me?"

"Huh?"

"Why is it that he can forgive you, but not me?"

"I think you're gonna have to bring that up with him—"

"I did and he never tells me! Lovi, what did you do to make him forgive you?"

"I just said I was truly sorry for what happened and gave him food. That's it really. You know how that guy loves to eat."

"…should I try that?"

"I guess? But Toni, seriously, why is it so damn important that Manny forgives you? I know he's your favorite cousin but you have others—"

"No, he's not a cousin."

"Okay look, I know you're frustrated with him but you can't just disown family. That's not how this thing wo—"

"No seriously Lovi, he's really not family."

"What are you talking about?"

"Manny's mother is a long-time friend of my mother. Everyone just thought we were cousins when we were younger because we were as _close_ as family, so we just decided to go along with it."

"…so you're not family at all?"

"Ha ha, no, not in the slightest."

Well now. This changed everything.

"And why wasn't I told about this like, oh I dunno, _years_ ago?"

"Because I didn't think it was important to mention!"

"Why the fuck not?"

Antonio shrugged. "And besides, I thought somebody told you!"

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh, well everyone knows that we're not family, so I thought somebody relayed the information to you!"

"Well they didn't, and now I even feel offended 'cause you didn't tell me jack shit!"

"Ah ha, but why are you so upset?" When Lovino didn't answer him, the Spaniard only smiled and decided to change the subject. "So when are you and Manny gonna have that contest?"

"Uh, I guess before dinner. I haven't talked to him about it yet."

"Where is he?"

"He's over there with Al and Kiku."

"Oh…"

There was another moment of awkward silence as the two just stood standing next to each other. "Hey Antonio."

"Yes?"

"…okay well I know now that Manny isn't actually your cousin, but if he was, why was he…your favorite? I mean, Alicia and Eva are a lot more pleasant."

He chuckled. "Well there's a lot of reasons actually! I can't name just one. I think what I like best about him though…is that…well, he can always make you laugh and feel good about yourself. Even if something's bothering him, he'll try to find the humor in it. I don't know if he does it to not make other people worry, or because he wants to ignore it, but…he'll put a smile on your face, one way or another, and that by itself is something to be desired, don't you think?"

"…yeah."

"Laughter is good for the soul y'know."

Lovino paused and then looked intently at Antonio. The latter blinked. "Is there something wrong Lovi?"

_"Lovino…"_

"…"

_"Hmm?"_

"Hey, Lovi?"

_"You care about Toni more than just a friend, don't you?"_

"Are you okay? Hello?"

_"N-No! It's just…h-he's more annoying when he's sad than when he's happy!"_

"Lovi you're starting to worry me! Is anybody in there?"

_"Your face says otherwise."_

The Italian blinked. "Uh, yeah, I'm…fine."

"Positive?"

He nodded.

"…well, alright then." The Spaniard noticed the others departing from the lake to head back to the campground. "Oh, guess we should get going!"

_Fuck…_ "Antonio, w-wait."

"Yeah?"

"There's something…you need to know…"

"Really? What?"

"…"

"Lovi?"

"…actually, I forgot."

"Oh…well I'm sure it'll come back to you later."

"Yeah maybe."

"In the meantime, let's go eat!"

The Italian stuffed his hands inside his pockets and waited for his friend to become distracted with Gilbert and Francis up ahead. He kicked a rock as he trudged behind the group.

"…so Manny isn't his relative after all, yet Toni still acts the way he does around him…" He saw everyone situated at the wooden tables ready to engorge themselves with dinner. He made an effort to observe Antonio's actions around the Mexican boy during this time.

"Guess shit just got more complicated now huh? Fuck."

* * *

"A tie?!"

"How can it be a tie?!"

"You guys don't gotta get so mad! There are equal amounts of votes for both of your artworks!"

"Alfredo I demand a recount!"

"Don't call me Alfredo!"

"So then neither of us gets a prize?"

"No because it's a TIE."

Lovino and Manuel crossed their arms and huffed. They decided to have the contest after dinner so the prize would be a bigger serving of dessert, but everyone present ended up voting equally for both pieces. Lovino's was liked because he captured more of the scenery, but Manuel's was liked because of the colors.

"You both still get dessert though," Sofia said. "They'll be the same size, but bigger than everyone else's!"

They groaned.

The rest of the evening was spent relaxing from the day's walk and discussion for the rest of the week. Everyone had to take turns with the shower, the girls using the one in the RV and the boys using the one on the premises. Marshmallows were roasted again and after the third ghost story, Arthur was pelted with the fluffy white sweets by Alfred who continuously told him to shut up.

"Alfred-san, there's no need to be so afraid."

"B-But Kiku…you don't know the kinds of things that can happen in the forest!"

"You have Matthew-san and myself occupying your tent."

Somebody tapped him on the shoulder and he shrieked, whacking them in the face with his arm.

"SHIT WHAT THE FUCK?!"

"Oh my God Manny! Seriously tell me when you're behind me!"

"Nice going _gringo!_ Ugh…now my entire head is gonna be throbbing for the rest of the night." He gently touched his nose to make sure it wasn't bleeding.

"Manuel-san! Are you alright?!"

"Yeah…no thanks to _gordo_ over here…"

"Manny why'd you do that?!"

"I was only gonna ask to see the votes for our art! _Madre de Dios…_"

"What for?"

"Just 'cause."

Alfred gave him a knowing look. He knew what this was really about. "He voted for Lovi's. I can recognize his handwriting despite these slips of paper being anonymous."

"…ah ha, that's not what I was gonna ask about! I just wanna make sure you didn't screw me over!"

"I checked the results three times. It's still a tie."

"Okay okay. Geez…" Silence. "So I'm gonna go to bed okay? _Buenas noches._"

"Yeah, night Manny."

"Good night Manuel-san."

Alfred and Kiku retreated to their tent. The blonde asked Kiku if he could cuddle up with him as a precaution against ghouls but the latter declined and said he was not a safety blanket, nor was he fond of the idea of spooning. Manuel rubbed his forehead as he walked to his own tent, trying not to glare in the direction of Antonio and Lovino sitting by the fire, talking about who knows what. They were too close for comfort, at least for him. To top it off, the Italian was wearing his new sweater his pseudo-boyfriend bought for him.

"But of course he'd vote for his." He entered the tent and zipped it back up. "He always does things in favor of that guy."

Manuel turned around to curl up under the blankets but then he saw something resting on his pillow. It was a small plush of a deer with an equally small box of cookies from the bakery in the village. Under them was a white card. All that was written there was, "I saw this and thought of you. Hope you like it." The scribbles were obviously recognizable.

"That idiot."

* * *

Morning came too soon, and so did the end of the week. The remainder of the trip was spent at the lake and another hike with some sightseeing. Alfred slouched and pouted as he watched their campsite fade into the background when the RV took off to the main road.

"I can't believe spring break is over," he said. "That went waaaay too fast."

"All good things must come to an end," Matthew said. "But we only have two more months of school, and then summer break."

"Yeah, that's true. Oh, and then our birthday in July!"

"Your birthday is in July, Alfred-san?"

He nodded. "Matt and me share the same birthday 'cause y'know we're twins and all, but our birthday is also on the fourth! So we celebrate Independence Day _and_ our birthday! Lotsa fireworks and burgers! Mom even said when she gave birth to us, she could hear fireworks outside the hospital!"

Emily laughed. "It's true! I knew that was a sign my boys would make me proud in the future!"

"Well that is rather…interesting."

"So what are you gonna do for your birthday this year?" asked Antonio.

"I was thinking something like a pool party. You Matt?"

"A pool party sounds nice actually."

"Great! Mom can we have a pool party for our birthday?"

"Of course!"

"Sweet! And now that you're part of the action Kiku, this'll make our birthday even more awesome because you get to share it with us!"

Kiku smiled. "Thank you. That means a lot."

"And Manny no more embarrassing stories from our childhood okay?"

Manuel gave a Cheshire grin. "Oh but people _love_ those!"

"They don't need to know it though! And none of your pranks either! If you're gonna troll me, can it _not_ be on the day I was born?"

"That's the best part!"

"Sometimes I wanna punch you in the face."

"But you don't because you love me ~"

"Pfft, in your dreams."

"It's okay Manny, I'm here for you!"

"_Callate pendejo._"

"_Por que no me amas Manuel?!_"

"Fuck we're not doing this again okay?!"

Kiku wasn't sure if things were back to normal between the two friends, but one thing he was sure of was that he was more than happy to be home after seven days without internet.

"Home sweet home!" Emily chimed. "Feels good to be back!"

"Y-Yes, it does," Kiku replied, trying not to show so much enthusiasm. First thing he was gonna do when he unpacked was log onto his email to see if he had any messages.

The Jones busied themselves unloading things from the RV while the Sanchez family returned to their own residence right next door. Kiku offered to help but they told him to rest since it was apparent he wasn't used to being out in the wilderness by his unusual radiation of joy when he surrounded himself with all the electronics in the house.

To pass the time, he sat on his bed and connected his camera to his laptop. The pictures started to download taking up a significant amount of space on his hard drive. "I better delete the ones I have no use for."

As he flipped through them, he noticed that about more than half had one particular element in the shot.

"…did I really take that many photos of Alfred-san?"

It was then he remembered said person wanted to see his collection of pictures from the trip when they were done. A knock came from the doorway. Kiku turned his head so fast it looked like it would have almost snapped right off.

"Hey Kiku!"

"A-Alfred-san."

"So can I see those pictures now?"

"Uhm, w-well I am still sorting through them, so perhaps…later."

"Aww, seriously?"

"Yes."

He pouted again, a now common facial feature. "Okay, but I wanna see them later tonight then!"

"Very well."

The Japanese teen felt relieved when he left but searched frantically around his room for his pen drive. "I might just have to put a lot of these photos in a hidden place…" As he moved the files around, he caught sight of a picture with Alfred and Mei in it. He stared at it for a while and felt that bubbling pit of fire start up again. Kiku highlighted the picture and then gently pressed the 'delete' button on his keyboard.

"There is no need for such memories in my photo library."

* * *

A/N: Oh God why did this chapter take so long to be completed. Anyway, I apologize for the delay. School has just been a real hindrance but only this week left (finals! orz) and then I am home free until February! I wanted to get this chapter out before the holidays and before I need to study my ass off. A lot of stuff happened in this chapter shining some light on other pairings involved in this plot. I am itching to let you know why Manuel is so important to the story and therefore why he's been given so much spotlight but ugh, no I must not give spoilers! Therefore I am ending this notes section here! I don't like to put fancharacters in my stories that have a canon character/canon character ship as the central focus but Manuel is the only OC that I have ever made _and_ actually _liked_ over the course of the story they're in.

India is now canon in Hetalia so I have to remember mine in this thing is a female, not a male when I include her in future scenes... Oh yes, and it's choppy but as revealed in this chapter I decided to not make Antonio and Manuel relatives. I mean, 'cause there are those friends that are so close to you that they're practically family except not really. Yeah, try to think of it that way.

I'm falling asleep at my keyboard so I bid you all farewell until the next update. Hope this chapter made up for my procrastination... Ah, and Merry Christmas! I hope you all have a Happy New Year too!


	13. A Beating Heart

Chapter 13: A Beating Heart

The month of May brought pleasant weather, the cold finally disappearing around the second week. Alfred was quite overjoyed at the sunshine and blooming flowers. It made him feel even more energetic than usual.

On this particular day, he and his family decided to pay a visit to the local hospital. Emily carried with her some potted tulips she had been growing in her backyard.

"I can't wait for you to meet my grandparents Kiku," Alfred said. "They're gonna love you!"

"I hope I am to their liking," he responded. "I'm rather nervous to be completely honest with you."

"Aww, don't be nervous! They're good folks!"

They entered the lobby and Emily spoke with the receptionist to get the room number and visitor bracelets for them all. "Okay guys, put these around your wrists and don't take them off until we leave the hospital."

Kiku had never visited anyone at the hospital, not even his mother. He figured it was for the best that he didn't see her in one either. The four rode up in the elevator and reached the fifth floor, walking down the hallway. Some rooms were open with visitors, others with nurses, and some were closed or darkened for sleeping patients.

The Japanese teenager had hoped he'd never have to have an IV stuck in his arm, or see any of his friends in a hospital bed.

"So, what is it that your grandfather was admitted for?" asked Kiku as Emily and Matthew walked into the room.

"Oh, he has cancer."

Kiku regretted his inquiry. Alfred's face was unreadable, but the moment he stepped foot through the door, he grinned. "Grandpa!" He didn't want to go in after him, so he stood outside awkwardly, out of sight.

"Kiku, what're you doing out there? C'mon dude!" Alfred pulled him inside. Kiku noticed Martha was also there, sitting down on a chair. She waved at him.

Emily introduced him. "Mom, dad, this is the boy I was telling you about before. His name is Kiku Honda, one of Alfred and Matthew's closest friends."

He bowed. "H-Hello. Good afternoon."

The grandmother smiled. "Well hello to you too. I'm Amelia, and this is my husband, John."

Kiku looked at the man. "Hey, so you're the boy Al's always talking about. You must be a really good friend of his!"

John was pale, and his skin looked sickly. He looked tired, and even frail. The tubes going up his nose and into his arms unnerved Kiku. He never knew Alfred's grandfather was in such a horrible condition.

"Yes, I've become close to your grandson, John-ojisan. He's a wonderful young man, both him and his brother."

"Ha ha! I'd like to hope so."

"Aww shucks Kiku!" Alfred grinned. Matthew smiled.

"So Kiku," Amelia began. "How do you like living with my daughter and grandsons?"

"It's very pleasant. I couldn't have been in a more comfortable home, Amelia-obasan. I always feel welcome there. You and your husband have raised wonderful daughters."

"Kiku you are so cute!" Emily nearly shrieked. She cuddled him.

Amelia chuckled. "What a polite young man you are."

For a while John and Amelia spoke with Kiku, asking him about Japan and the honorifics he used. They were very intrigued, John especially. Emily smiled, noticing how much her parents were enjoying his company. They appeared to grow fond of him quickly.

"Hey Al, Matt, why don't you take Kiku down to the cafeteria and get something to eat? It's about lunch time."

"Oh okay. You don't wanna go mom?"

"No I'll eat later."

"Alright."

The twins and Kiku went back to the elevator to grab a bite to eat at the cafeteria. Emily sat down on an empty chair near the window next to Martha. She looked down at her folded hands for a moment.

"…so what did the doctor say?"

John looked at his daughters, and then at Amelia. She held his hand and gripped it. He began slowly. "Well, the cancer has spread."

Emily's heart sunk. "…it has?"

"Yeah. Those tumors are tricky as hell."

"How does it look?"

"Well it looks disgusting. They showed me photos of what they had to take out!"

"Dad…I meant the probability of you being a survivor."

He hesitated in responding. "…not good."

The woman buried her head in her hands out of frustration. Martha put a hand on her back. Amelia smiled weakly. "Emily, don't fuss so much sweetheart."

"How can I not mom? We didn't expect dad to get cancer all of a sudden."

"Yes, I know…but then, nobody really expects these things, do they?"

"So I take it the chemotherapy isn't working, huh?" Martha asked.

"Not as well as I thought it would. Lost a good portion of my hair from that. Maybe I shouldn't have come to the hospital in the first place."

Emily made a sound and Martha looked down at the tiled floor. John grabbed her hand. "Oh, come on now girls."

"Dad, do you think this is easy?"

"No, I know it's not. I lost a buddy to cancer, and I know how difficult this type of situation can be. But I'm not worried."

"Why not?!" Emily exclaimed. "The cancer has spread and the treatments are not working!"

"Emily—"

Her eyes glossed. "Why did this have to happen…? And you're…so nonchalant about it…"

"Princess, I didn't ask for cancer," he began gently. "And I certainly didn't ask for you girls or your mother to be put through this kind of stress. But you know, there are just some things we can't control. The doctors aren't miracle workers."

"But you're in so much pain… Dad, I hate to see you like this."

"I know, I know." He smiled genuinely. "But it's whatever the good Lord decides to do. And whatever He chooses, well, I'm just fine with that. Your mother too."

Emily wished she had that kind of faith, if only to help her get through this ordeal.

* * *

Alfred, Matthew, and Kiku sat at a table eating their lunch. Alfred of course bought a hamburger, Matthew a sandwich, and Kiku some chicken. "Y'know this hospital food is pretty good."

"Yeah, though I hope we don't have to always eat here." He looked a little somber. "I want grandpa to get better soon."

"Me too Matt…"

"Your grandparents are very kind and friendly," Kiku said, trying to lighten the mood.

"Yeah, they're the best! Mom and Aunt Martha love them a lot. They spoil Matt and me quite often, especially at Christmas time. Did you ever visit your grandparents?"

"No, they died before I was born."

"Ah…sorry."

"There is no need to apologize. It was an honest question."

"Matthew?"

The twin froze and blushed when he recognized the voice. "K-Katyusha!"

"Hello! Oh, hello Alfred and Kiku! Are you visiting your grandfather again?"

"Yeah. Our mom and aunt are in his room right now with our grandma. We're having lunch down here meanwhile. Wanna sit with us?"

"Okay!"

She sat next to Matthew who began to sweat bullets. Alfred smirked mischievously and Kiku tried to hide a smile.

"I'm on my break, so I came here to eat. It's certainly a surprise and a pleasure to find you three here! Now I don't feel so lonely."

"H-How is your volunteer work coming along?" asked Matthew.

"Oh it's good! I speak with a lot of patients and take notes on what the nurses do. But…when one of my new friends die…well, it's hard. You get attached to them, especially the ones who never have visitors."

"I can only imagine."

Alfred began to stand up along with Kiku. His brother looked panicked. "Hey, where are you going?"

"Oh, we finished our food. We're gonna go to the gift shop to see if we can get grandpa anything. Sorry Kat."

"It's fine! Uhm, I will stay here with you Matthew if you'd like?"

He blushed. "Uh…"

"That sounds great!"

"You are pleasant company, Katyusha-chan, so I am sure you and Matthew-san will have enjoyable conversations."

"Thank you Kiku!"

Matthew gave a death glare at Alfred who only snickered as he and Kiku walked away. "Was it wise to leave them together?"

"Yeah, Ivan isn't here. He's kinda banned from being at the hospital because he intimidates people." Alfred laughed, causing Kiku to giggle.

"What should we get your grandfather?"

"Hmm…a card would be good." He browsed through the selection. "Help me pick one." The two read each and every card, and when they came to an agreement, Alfred purchased it. "Okay Kiku—"

His friend was browsing through the stuffed animals. He smiled. "Want something?"

"This rabbit plush is very adorable, but…b-but I don't need it."

"Oh c'mon if you wanna buy it, just do it. No harm in that."

"No, it's fine."

Alfred shook his head.

* * *

They returned to John's room, Matthew being relieved he got away from Katyusha. He was crushing on her hard, and being alone with her made him extremely nervous. Fate decided to be cruel as she walked in with lunch.

"Good afternoon John!"

"Oh, Katherine!"

She giggled. "Katyusha."

"Right! So, what do we have today?"

"A piece of chicken with carrots, an orange, and apple juice."

"Aww, no steak?"

"No I'm afraid not."

"Well then, this is just fine. You'd think after doing all those tests they'd know just how much a person should be allowed to eat." Amelia set up the table as John slowly sat up with the aide of Martha and Emily.

"If you need anything, just call. I'm going to be at the reception desk down the hall."

"Alright, thanks Kat!"

"You're welcome John." She waved at the Jones twins then left.

John began to cut his chicken. "You should totally date that girl Matthew."

"Wh-what?!" His face became red.

"She's your classmate right? Kat's nice and pretty. I want grandchildren y'know. Your kids would be adorable."

"Gr-Grandpa!"

"Just be sure to always stay on good terms with that brother of hers. He scares the crap outta me, and I was in the army."

Everyone laughed while Matthew tried not to faint from embarrassment.

About three hours later, Emily decided it was time to leave. Kiku said goodbye to Amelia and John while Alfred and Matthew had left down the elevator minutes before.

"You're a good kid Kiku," John said. "I'm glad Alfred has a friend like you."

"Thank you very much John-ojisan."

"And when I get out of this damn hospital, I wanna try that mochi you talked about."

He smiled. "Of course. I will even make it for you myself, the most delicious kind I can think of."

"Sounds great!" He pointed at him. "I'll hold you to that." He smiled.

Emily put a hand on his shoulder as they walked down the hall. "My parents really love you Kiku. I'm so glad!"

"I'm rather happy myself. I was afraid they wouldn't."

"And why not? You're polite, kind, and cute as hell."

"Th-Thank you."

When they got to the lobby, Matthew was already there, with Alfred just catching up. "Ready to go mom?"

"Yeah. Let's go to the market since I need to buy groceries."

The younger twin followed her out the automatic doors, but Alfred and Kiku lagged behind. "Here."

"What is thi—" He looked stunned. "Alfred-san, you did not have to—"

"You were looking at it so adoringly I couldn't just leave it there. Besides, I know you like bunnies."

"Th-Thank you very much. I will repay you in some way."

"Aww Kiku, just learn how to accept gifts! Now c'mon. Let's go to the market and get some food so we can have dinner later!"

Kiku's heart beat just a little faster, his cheeks tinted with pink.

* * *

Finals week was finally upon them. Kiku asked for time off of work so he could study, which his boss so generously allowed. Alfred had gotten a job sometime in late May at a movie theater but couldn't get a few days off to study, so he had to sacrifice his spare time to read up on his textbooks instead of hang out or play video games with friends.

"This sucks…" Alfred huffed as he flipped another page of his math book. "My eyes are tired from reading." He rubbed them from underneath his glasses.

"You're almost done Alfred-san." Kiku was in the kitchen preparing them some lunch on a Saturday. Emily was out with friends and Matthew went to study at the library with Arthur.

"Kiku, how do you do it? Seriously… It's like you study for a few hours and then boom, you ace everything."

He smiled. "I spend hours on end the week before finals studying for all of my classes. But you have a more social schedule than I do."

"You take your work very seriously don't you?"

"Of course. It is my goal to get admitted to the college of my choice, and thus I must keep up my grades. Being in baseball and yearbook helps too."

He set down a plate of chicken, rice, and vegetables. "Thanks man. Uh…do I have to eat those too…?"

"Yes Alfred-san, you must also consume the broccoli."

He groaned and stuck the miniature tree into his mouth. "So how's yearbook going?"

"Quite well. I just don't like going to events to take pictures."

"But it's good that you're getting out there dude. You've made more friends that way!"

"That's true. Thank you for convincing me to join."

"No problem. The yearbook you guys made this year has a great layout! Not too thrilled about the cover though."

"I know. I didn't like it either. I will suggest something more aesthetically appealing next year."

"We came out sexy as hell in the baseball group photo, especially you. Man I could just kiss your face in that picture."

"A-Alfred-san that is not…uhm…"

"Ha ha! I'm just kidding! You blush so easily! I'm sorry. It's just kinda amusing to see you blush like that. You really are adorable y'know." He got up to get a soda. "Want anything while I'm at the fridge?"

"N-No I have my tea… Thank you."

He quietly ate his food, daintily picking up the rice with chopsticks and putting them in his mouth. He watched as Alfred did the same absent-mindedly. He leaned his head on his left hand, elbow propped up on the table. His eyebrows knit together as he attempted to memorize a mathematical formula, stuffing a piece of chicken into his mouth. Kiku was proud at how good Alfred became at using chopsticks. Now he refused to eat Asian cuisine with a fork.

Kiku broke the silence with a delicate question. "Alfred-san?"

"Mm?" He responded, not looking up from his textbook.

"…uhm…well this just sparked my interest from your comment about the baseball photo…but…if you had…uh…m-my sexual preference, would you have really…"

"Really what?"

"…kissed me?"

That stopped Alfred for a good few minutes, a bit shocked at what Kiku was asking.

"I'm sorry, I'm very sorry. I shouldn't have—"

"Yeah."

"…yes?"

"Yeah, I probably would have."

Kiku blushed again.

"I mean, you _are_ cute, and it's not like I'd…like, kiss you on the mouth. Probably the cheek or forehead or something. Kissing the same sex like that isn't weird. I mean, other cultures do it, right? Hell I'd do it regardless of my sexual orientation. Of course, if I do that you might accidentally fall in love with me or something 'cause I'm quite a catch!" He laughed at his own joke. This only made Kiku even more nervous.

"I'm comfortable with my sexuality." He flipped another page and took a drink from the soda can. "You don't have to be afraid to feed your curiosity with those kinds of questions, not around me anyway."

"Uhm, y-yes. I understand. I will keep that in mind Alfred-san."

He smiled in response, then continued to study. Kiku watched him in silence and answering math questions if there were any, the blush never leaving his face.

* * *

The bell rung and the school grounds were alive with cheers for summer break. "Man, finally, school is out!" Alfred exclaimed, shooting his hands up into the air. "Time for fun and relaxation!"

Kiku smiled. "Yes, and work."

"Well yeah, 'cause if we don't have money, then we can't go anywhere!"

"Looks like I'll be hitting the beaches soon," Gilbert said with a smile. "Gonna pick up some hot babes."

Elizaveta laughed. "They'll ask if you have an illness first with your odd hair and eye coloration."

"Hey, chicks dig my crimson eyes and snowy white hair. It's a huge turn-on. Not to mention my five meter di—"

"Don't flatter yourself Gil."

Alfred began to laugh. "So did anybody sign up for Mrs. Pennington's zoo field trip for biology?"

"Oh yes, I believe we all did," Arthur replied. "She was quite proud that not a single student got a D or an F in the class. Dunno how everybody managed to pull that off, considering some of us aren't as bright as others."

"What the hell are you lookin' at me for?" Lovino questioned. "You think I'm stupid?"

"Well your grades could have been better."

"So you my mom now or what?"

"Ladies, please," Francis interjected. "We should all look forward to being able to wander around by ourselves without supervision at a large place like the zoo."

"Of course you'd enjoy freedoms like that you piece of filth."

Alfred shook his head as Arthur and Francis began to argue again, Kiku giggling behind a hand.

"You signed up for the field trip, Alfred?"

"N-Navah!" He blushed when the girl approached him. "Uh, y-yeah I did."

"That's wonderful! I heard that they just got some pandas admitted into the zoo."

"Really?! Awesome!"

"There's a few other species that are new this year too." She pulled out some papers from her bag. "I have a list right here. We can discuss them on the bus ride home, if you'd like?"

His heart beat faster. "S-Sure! So did they get any new monkey species? Like spider monkeys! Or…or maybe alligators! Are the river otters still there?"

The blonde and his friend began a conversation about the different species of animals as the students boarded the bus. Kiku looked onward as Alfred and Navah sat in a back seat. He had the widest grin on his face.

Huffing, Kiku sat down next to the window seat at the front of the bus and held his book bag against his chest angrily.

"Hey, Alfredo isn't sitting with you today or something?" Manuel asked as he came up to Kiku.

"Oh, no he has decided to sit with Navah-chan this afternoon."

The mop-haired kid looked back and noticed he was right. "Ah, I see. Mind if I sit here then?"

"Go ahead Manuel-san."

He put his backpack on the floor as he sat down on the aisle seat. He noticed Kiku looked a little irritated. "So you going on that field trip?" he asked to break the silence.

"Yes, of course. It's not often I get to visit a zoo."

"Ha ha! Same here. Man I haven't been to one in years. Have a favorite animal?"

"I have a preference for rabbits mostly. And cats. As for animals of the exotic variety…well I haven't thought much about it. I suppose a lot of animals are wonderful in their own right."

"That's true."

"You, Manuel-san?"

"Hmm…y'know I never thought about that to be honest. I don't think I have a favorite animal. Oh! Lizards! Lizards are fucking awesome. Yeah, I like those the best. And birds too, especially the colorful ones. I can't wait to go look around in the reptile and avian house."

"Alfred-san and Navah-chan seem to be very immersed in their conversation back there."

"Mm, not surprising. Alfredo loves animals."

"…he does?"

"Yeah. Whales are his favorites next to eagles. He knows a lot about animals, so I can only imagine he and Navah are comparing opinions on the new species that arrived recently to the zoo. They'll probably hang out together and talk about them or something."

"…I see. Does Alfred-san have encyclopedias of animals?"

"Eh…probably. I haven't been into his room in a long time. Why?"

"Well I know he likes dinosaurs, and that he has books on them."

"Oh yeah, _dinosaurios._ He loves those too."

"Then I must research on all the animals at the zoo."

"Uh…well you can kinda do that when you get there 'cause they have a little information plaque next to all the habitats."

"No, I must go to the field trip prepared to have heated discussions about animals. That way I will be able to answer inquisitive inquiries from visitors and my friends. I will read up on all the animals, all of them! I will become the walking animal encyclopedia before the day we go on the trip!"

"Er…wow?"

Kiku began mumbling to himself and then put on earphones to listen to music. Manuel raised an eyebrow, the most curious expression on his face. "Hmm…"

* * *

About a week before the field trip, Kiku stopped by the public library to check out some books about animals while Alfred was at work. He brought his laptop with him to research at a desk, various books about all families of animals stacked around him.

Matthew arrived at around seven to bring him home and informed him Alfred was picking up the slack because a coworker decided to call in sick today.

"Those are a lot of books you checked out…and apparently bought?"

"Yes, I bought old ones from the purchase cart. I want to be prepared for the zoo next week."

"Uh…but Kiku…you are aware that…this isn't a test or anything right? It's a reward for all of us since we did so well in biology class."

"Yes I understand, but there's no harm in reading about what you shall be observing, right?"

"No, there isn't."

Kiku ate dinner with Emily and Matthew, though he didn't chit-chat much unless the conversation somehow related back to an animal. When he was done with his food, he washed his dishes until they sparkled like the sun, and holed himself up in his bedroom.

It was 3am and he still had not gone to sleep.

"I will learn about all of the animals at the zoo, even if it gives me insomnia. Navah-chan is not the only one who can be informative about these creatures."

* * *

A/N: My God what happened to the layout of this website. It seems like every website layout is being renovated to catch up with the times. Well, I apologize for not updating in a year but I wasn't sure what kind of chapter I wanted to write next. I actually don't like this one. I think it kinda sucks. I have all these concepts written down but the more I stare at them, the more they don't seem to fit... So anyway, I might make the next chapter extra long, though I don't know when it'll be posted. School starts again in February so I miiight update before then. No promises!

I wanted to expand on Alfred's family which was the primary reason for the chapter being written the way it was. To be honest, this chapter was inspired and planned long ago when my aunt was admitted to a hospital because of cancer. Unfortunately she didn't make it, and died before Thanksgiving two years ago. I've been able to accept it at this point. I envisioned that hospital as I was writing this, so it was easier to visualize how I wanted this chapter to play out. I also have the headcanon that Alfred loves animals, even though he eats a lot of red meat.

Oh, ah ha, yeah I changed my pen name too. I'm sorry. I just thought since it's a new year, a new pen name was in order.

Kiku's crush on Alfred is starting to become more apparent. His kokoro is getting the doki dokis.


	14. Lions, Tigers, and Bears

Chapter 14: Lions, Tigers, and Bears

The students who signed up for the zoo field trip had to be at the front of the school no later than eight o' clock sharp. Mrs. Pennington wanted everyone to be on the bus at eight-fifteen so they may leave as quickly as possible for more of the day to be spent at the menagerie.

"Alright, good, everyone appears to be here then," she said as she finished checking attendance. "Now since you all paid in advance, we shouldn't have to wait in line with everyone else. We will be able to enter through a side entrance instead of the main one. Bus driver, off we go."

Kiku prepared his camera in the vehicle, switching to a new memory card. He didn't know how many pictures he'd take, so he wanted as much space as possible.

"Gonna be the group's photographer aren't you?" asked Alfred with a smile.

"Well, the photos are more for me than other people, but if I'm requested to take a picture, I will do so. You seem to be in a very pleasant mood this morning."

"Of course! Zoos are great! I can't wait to see the new species!"

"Are you sure it's not because this is a chance for you to get closer to Navah-chan?"

He blushed instantly. "Ssshhh Kiku! Not so loud! In fact, d-don't even mention it, like ever!"

Kiku smiled in amusement. "I promise it won't happen again."

"Hey, hey Kiku!"

"Yes Feliciano-kun?"

"Are you going to take a lot of pictures?"

"I'd like to, yes. Why?"

"Mm, well I forgot my camera, so I was wondering…if you'd share your photos after the trip."

"Of course I will. If you'd like me to take a picture of a specific animal, feel free to ask."

"Alright!"

The bus came to a stop at the zoo, big fun letters indicating the official name at the top of the main gate. The students followed Mrs. Pennington and waited near the ticket booth. It took a few minutes to remind the staff of the arrangements she made, the frustrated woman returning to her pupils immediately after.

"All right, here are your tickets—"

"Can I have the one with the koala on it?"

"Mister Vargas, you can trade tickets later. For now just take whichever one gets passed to you."

"Oh…" He became sad when he got an alligator on his ticket. "Mm, hey Manny, can I have yours?"

"Sorry _hermano_, but this one has a colorful bird on it. Mine." He stuffed it in his pocket with a teasing smile, Feliciano puffing his cheeks in frustration.

"Ludwig, which one do you have?"

"A hippo." He noticed the Italian made a face. "Feliciano…does it really matter which animal you get on your ticket?"

"Well I'd like a cute one, yeah."

"All animals are cute in some way," Alfred replied. "I got a monkey on mine."

"Oh, can I—"

"Nope."

"Right, so now you all have your tickets," Mrs. Pennington said. "Now there aren't enough maps for everybody, so I suggest picking at least one or two partners to explore with." She passed out the maps. "The zoo closes at five so I want us all to be here by no later than four, do you understand?"

The students responded "Yes" in unison.

"Good. Well, have a fun day class, and don't cause trouble!"

Kiku was a bit nervous as he walked up to Alfred and asked, "Do you want to be my partner on this excursion?"

"Oh! Uh, well damn Kiku I'd love to! But…uh…you sure you don't wanna mingle with somebody else?"

"I like spending trips with you, my closest friend."

"Aww, that's so sweet! I like spending time with you too! Ehm…but you see…"

"Alfred!" Navah walked up to him. "Would you mind being my partner? Everyone else pretty much scattered, so I don't have a map."

"Oh, sure! Of course!"

"Kiku, would you like to come along? The three of us can walk around together!"

"No, it's fine. I have my own map, but have fun Navah-chan, and Alfred-san. I will see you around."

He left without waiting for a response, a frown and furrowed eyebrows on his face, even a slight pout. He didn't want to admit he was getting jealous, but he didn't know what else to call it.

"I studied those animals for nothing… I didn't have the guts to accept Navah-chan's offer to walk with them, and now I cannot prove myself to Alfred-san that I am a living animal encyclopedia." He huffed. "Well, perhaps…I can see them around…and then agree to walk with them later. Meanwhile, I will casually give factual information about the animals to all my classmates, so they may say, 'Wow Kiku, you're so smart! You sure know a lot about animals. Have you considered becoming a veterinarian or zoologist? Even Navah doesn't know as much as you!' That is exactly what they will say when this day is over."

* * *

Arthur went to the flamingo habitat first, observing the vivid birds basking in the sun. "My word it smells foul here."

"Of course it does. What do you expect? They are animals in bulk."

"Francis why are you here…"

"I don't have a map, so I figured for today, I will follow you around and humor myself with your cynical comments about nature's wonderful creatures."

"Well sorry to burst your bubble but I won't be making any comments about them in that manner today."

"I don't believe you."

"Try me."

Francis gave a mischievous smirk. "Would you like to turn this into a bet?"

Arthur grinned. "Sure, why not? I'm up for a challenge."

"Alright. You cannot say ten or more negative things about anything pertaining to this trip by the end of the day, otherwise I win. If you manage to keep it under nine, then you win."

"Sounds reasonable. If I win..." He thought for a moment. "…you have to buy me whatever I want from the shop."

"Like I'd want to do that for you."

"Oh? You don't agree to the terms?"

"Fine. If you miraculously win, I will buy you something from the shop of your choosing. But, if I win, and I most certainly will…" He smiled. "You will go on a date with me."

"Wh-What?" Arthur blushed. "That is too extreme a reward!"

"Not at all. I know you're going to ask me to buy you one of _the_ most expensive things in the shop just to irritate me. So my reward isn't all that different."

"Urgh… Okay, fine, but it won't be a date in the romantic sense!"

"Arthur, I didn't even mention anything about romance."

He blushed deeper, Francis chuckling.

"Sh-Shut up!"

"Oh, it's so obvious you want the full deal mm? Okay, if I win, I will take you on a romantic date."

"No! I want the date to suck! And it's a friend…er…acquaintance date!"

"Now I wouldn't live up to my reputation if you didn't enjoy your time with me, would I?"

The English teen growled. "Fine, whatever. But I am not going to lose!"

"We'll see about that." He walked ahead of Arthur, grabbing the map. "Shall we, _mon ami?_"

"Yes, why don't we start with your wretched relatives, those slimy amphibians."

"Ah ah ah, that's one negative comment already. You're really going to be your own downfall," Francis said as he marked the side of the map. "You have eight more chances Arthur."

"Fuck you."

"Oh I'd like to."

"I AM GOING TO KICK YOUR ASS IN THIS WAGER!"

* * *

Matthew was checking out the meerkats at the front of the zoo. He felt somebody poke his shoulder and nearly screamed when he saw Ivan standing behind him.

"Ah, hello Matthew!"

"H-Hi Ivan."

"I would like for you to do me a favor."

"Uhm, sure?"

"Well you see, today Katyusha decided to wear…uhm…clothing that I don't approve of because it attracts attention."

"It's hot out though."

"This much is true, but I'm not liking the stares she's getting because of her choice in dress. Those shorts are too short and that top does not help hide her assets."

"So…what do you expect me to do?"

"I am appointing you to be her partner of course!"

"Why me?"

"Because you're kind and she's comfortable around you. You're a good friend to her. I observe everyone who speaks with her, and you are the least threatening to her physical and emotional well-being."

_Uh…should I take that as a compliment?_ "Thanks Ivan…I think."

"So, will you do it?"

"I just don't want her to think I'm your spy."

"No, I am not asking for status updates or anything like that. I just want her to have fun today and hang out with a good friend like you! I'd do it myself but…ah ha…I had planned to tag along with Yao but Natalia is…"

"Is what?"

"Well she is intimidating the other people and animals…because I am avoiding her. So to spare them both the displeasure of her current existence in this zoo…I will…" He looked a little scared. "…hang out with her instead, to spare everyone a bad day. Does that make sense?"

"Yeah, it does. Ivan, you really don't have to though…"

"She doesn't get along with anyone else and Toris has already gone off to another part of the zoo, so I will take one for the team."

_I didn't know we were in battle…_ "Well, okay, I'll help you."

Ivan's face brightened. "Thank you so much! Well, Katyusha should be…mm…oh, yes, she's over there buying a water bottle. Make sure she has a good time!" Ivan walked to his doom as he met his sister near the alligator, who by this point had hid at the very back of the habitat because she glared at it.

Matthew walked over to Katyusha who smiled when she saw him. "Matthew!"

"Hi Katyusha," he said, trying not to stutter. "Do you mind if I tag along with you? Alfred already left and I don't know where Kiku went."

"Oh, of course! Uhm, I'm sorry though. I don't have a map…"

"That's okay. I've got one."

"Oh great! Well then let's get going!"

"Alright, where do you want to go first?"

"How about…hmm…well, why don't we start from the back and make our way down toward the entrance?"

"That's actually a good idea. There's a trail here that will take us to the back, and we'll just pass by whatever habitat happens to be on the way."

"I'm so excited!"

Matthew smiled as she looked at the map with a happy face.

* * *

Manuel decided to explore the zoo on his own and draw some of the animals. He worked best when he was alone, and the very first place he went to was the reptile house.

"This Komodo Dragon is great," he said as he sketched its outline. He laughed as it stood posed for him. "I'll have to take a picture later." He heard raised voices coming his way and groaned. "Not now…"

"Aren't the colorful frogs beautiful? They're so vivid for such small creatures."

"They're colorful because they're so dangerous, just like you. You should wear a bright green shirt to indicate that you are a hazard to humanity!"

"That is strike three Arthur."

"Damn it!"

At his outburst, the Komodo Dragon walked away toward a rock at the back of its habitat. Manuel was infuriated. "You guys are too loud!" he exclaimed.

"Oh, hello Manuel. Drawing?"

"Yeah, and I had the perfect pose until Arturo there screamed like a banshee and then the animal moved. Isn't there a day when you two _don't_ argue?"

"I apologize Manuel, I didn't mean to scare it off. But today is a crucial day in my life."

"Why? You've never been to a zoo?"

"No, we made a bet," Francis said. "Eyebrows here has to withhold from saying ten or more negative things about this trip, otherwise, I win."

_Everything has to be a competition with them._ "So what's your prize?"

"Arthur goes on a date with me."

"Pfft!"

"Do you see now why I absolutely cannot lose? There is no way in hell that I would accompany that deviant anywhere alone."

"Oh c'mon, Francisco isn't a bad guy."

"Manuel I find it astounding that you really have nothing bad to say about anybody except Antonio."

"Well, if you _do_ lose, think of it this way. You get to spend time with him and maybe find out he's not exactly as bad as you think."

"And how would you know this?"

"From experience with Alfredo. He was an obnoxious and arrogant shit back when we first met, but after a while, I realized he has more good points than bad."

"I admire your optimism, but I don't believe that is the case with this buffoon."

Francis sighed. "Arthur, for once listen to people other than yourself. Manuel makes a good argument."

"And you're only siding with him because it makes you look good."

As they argued, Manuel stared at the glass in irritation, his reflection showing just how annoyed he really was. "I'm outta here." He headed to the aviary, not even bothering to say goodbye to his fellow classmates.

* * *

Kiku tagged along with Ludwig and Feliciano, though he ending up falling behind because he was taking pictures. For a while he walked by himself, occasionally meeting the other students.

He took some pictures of a big horn sheep, trying to get its good side.

"Having fun Kiku?"

"Oh, hello Tino-san, and Berwald-san. Yes I am. You?"

"Yup! Although Berwald kinda scared off a tiger earlier."

"…'s not m' fault. I was m'rely staring a' it."

"Well, maybe don't stare so hard next time."

"Tino-san, did you know tigers are the third largest land carnivores, right behind polar bears and black bears?"

"Oh, no I didn't! That's interesting."

"Yes, and did you know they are fond of water, just like panthers? They can be found swimming sometimes too. They're the only large felines that share this love."

"That's pretty cute!"

"And do you know why their coat is patterned with stripes like that?"

"Uhm, no I don't think I do."

"It's because in the dense jungles where they live, the stripes break the outline of the tiger so it's harder for prey to see them and makes it much easier to camouflage with the surrounding environment."

"Oh, that makes sense. I learned something today!"

"I'm glad. If you have any more questions about a particular animal in this zoo, feel free to ask. I have studied them extensively before we came here."

"But why?"

"You never know who might be curious for knowledge."

"That's a good point I guess."

"Have you seen Alfred-san around?"

"No, I'm not sure where he or Matthew are. Why? Did you get lost from them?"

"I just like to know his whereabouts in case of an emergency. I have been asking around and he was last seen with Navah-chan at the elephant habitat, so I just want to be assured he's fine."

Tino chuckled a bit. "Nothing can really happen in a zoo unless the animals somehow escape. I'm sure he'll be fine Kiku."

"Yes, perhaps you're right Tino-san. Well, I must get going. I need to take pictures of some cute animals. Feliciano-kun requested it."

"Alright, bye Kiku!"

He waved as the short teenager walked away to the next habitat. Berwald looked at Tino.

"He's actin' strange, don' y' thin'?"

"Hmm hmm, yeah, but I have a suspicion as to why."

"Mm. I agree wi'h y'u. I wonder if Alfr' is aware."

"He's oblivious to these kinds of things, but I'm sure with enough time, he'll figure it out. Kiku isn't exactly the best at acting, and Alfred is sharper than he appears."

* * *

"Now _this_ is some peace and quiet," Manuel said as he sketched some colorful birds perched on a branch. "No noise except the beautiful songs of the _pajaritos._"

"Gilbert slow down!"

"Really Liz, you want me to slow down, all because of your pompous boyfriend? Rich, you shoulda stayed at home man. Zoos are no place for you, or anything requiring exercise."

"It's not the excessive walking that bothers me. It's the heat of the day!"

"Man it's not even that hot. You're such a wimp."

"Gilbert…!"

"What, ya gonna hit me in front of parents and their kids? I have the map, remember?"

"Urgh!"

Manuel growled. "Are you shitting me."

"Hey! Manny!"

"Holy fuck they're coming this way." He turned to them. "Didn't expect to see you guys here."

"Whatcha doin'?"

"I'm drawing. I fled from the reptile house because Fransico and Arturo were being ridiculous again."

"Aww, yeah, that contest of theirs."

"What contest?" asked Elizaveta.

"Franny bet that he would say ten or more negative things about the trip, and Artie bet he wouldn't. So if he wins, he gets to take him out on a date, and if Artie wins, then Franny has to buy him whatever he wants at the shop, no matter how expensive."

"That's really stupid," Roderich said. He walked to a bench and sat down.

"Tired already Rich?"

"You know what, I don't care Gilbert. Go ahead of us. I'm fine sitting here for the rest of the day."

"Fine, whatever. Hey Liz, wanna check out the upper level of this place? You can feed some of the birds there."

"I'm gonna stay here with Roderich, thanks."

"Alright, your loss. Catch ya later Manny."

"_Adios Gilberto._" He didn't bother to look up, continuing to draw the birds.

Elizaveta really didn't want to stay rooted to one spot all day. She really wanted to see the pandas, but if Roderich was tired, she didn't want to force him to walk if he really didn't feel like it. The Austrian noticed her gazing up at the second level.

"Elizaveta."

"Yes?"

"Why don't you just go with Gilbert for the rest of the day? You're not going to have any fun sitting here with me."

"No, but I don't want to leave you alone."

"It's fine. I'll go at my own pace, which has always been slower than yours since we met. You'll enjoy yourself more if you see the animals, even if it's with an obnoxious person like him."

"Oh…okay. Well if you need anything—"

"I know, I know. I'll call you."

She gave him a kiss on the cheek and then left. "Hey Gil! Wait!" She ran to the stairs for the second level. "I'll join you. Roderich says he wants to just sit for a while."

"Typical of that guy. Well anyway, it costs like a buck for the food to feed the birds. You wanna do it?"

"Oh, sure!"

"Alrighty then." She began to take out her wallet. "Ah, no Liz, it's fine. I'll pay."

"It's only a dollar."

"Again, I'll pay. It's fine." Gilbert paid the zoo keeper standing guard near the next gate and received some treats for himself and Elizaveta. They walked in and saw other people feeding the birds too.

"You can pet them, but only with two fingers, and only on the head or the back," the zoo keeper said. "Don't irritate them."

Gilbert and Elizaveta found some birds that were looking for another snack, so when the little creatures spotted them, they flew to their shoulders, looking curiously at their hands.

"Ha ha! Eager aren't you?" Gilbert lifted his hand and the bird slowly climbed onto his finger, pecking at the food. He pet its head with the fingers of his other hand. "Cute little guys, aren't they?"

"Yeah, they are, and so colorful!" She observed as the German fed some other birds, genuinely happy talking with them and petting their soft heads. She smiled to herself, not noticing the sole bird perched on her hand had eaten all the snacks. "Hey!"

"Liz, you gotta pay more attention than that. What were you doing?"

She scowled, upset that the bird had taken her food. "Sorry, I spaced out."

"Why? 'Cause I look good with animals? Yeah, I'd stare at me too, ha!" he joked.

"You looked serene is all. I rarely see you like that. It was a nice change of atmosphere."

He wasn't sure how to respond. He glanced at Elizaveta as she pet the birds on his shoulder. Gilbert looked away, his face a bit red. "So…where do you want to go after this?"

"Wherever you want."

"No, I really don't give a crap where we go next. Rich wanted you to have fun, so…you pick. Since he won't be here for the rest of the day, that automatically makes me in charge of making sure you enjoy yourself."

Elizaveta smiled and took the map, scanning the contents. "Hmm, well next is the koala house, so why don't we go there? I think it has air conditioning. There's kangaroo habitats next to it too."

"Oh fuck yes. Alright, we'll go there after." The last bird flew off his arm. "Welp, that's that. After you," he said as he opened the door. She shook her head but smiled in amusement.

"Trying to be like Roderich?"

"Like I'd want to be a clone of that guy. When you're around certain people enough, you tend to pick up their habits."

"Well, that's a good habit for you to have Gil. I think your charm points just went up." She giggled. "C'mon, let's go see the koalas."

She walked ahead of him, Gilbert slightly more embarrassed than five minutes ago. His face was pink as he followed her, trying not to make direct eye contact with the Hungarian girl, less he'd be as bright as a parrot. _Maybe being alone wasn't such a good idea after all…_

* * *

"Well, a good fifteen minutes have passed. I think I'm going to take my leave now Manuel. I'll see you back at the bus."

"Alright, later." _Not that I really care._

Manuel let out a huge sigh of relief when all three of them left. "Finally, now the birds won't be scared away." He took out some colored pencils and began shading in his sketches. A smile grew on his face as he drew. "Mm, I'm getting better at this. Soon I'll be a better artist than _mam__á__._"

He noticed Kiku further away, taking snapshots of the colorful birds. "Better not bother him. He's one of the few people who isn't loud as hell."

Occasionally a child would come up to Manuel and ask what he was doing, so he'd show them a drawing or two.

"Wow! You draw really good!"

"Ha ha, thanks! Not as good as my mom, but I'm getting there."

A man approached him and peered over his shoulder. "Hey, those are pretty good!"

"Thanks."

"You like birds?"

"Yeah, they're amazing creatures, and have such a wide color variety. Honestly, they're my favorite subjects to draw, even more than people or landscapes."

"You hunt?"

"No," he replied, still not looking up from his sketchbook. "I'm not a sportsman kind of guy, but my dad is. Can't say I don't enjoy fishing though. You?"

"Oh yeah, I like to hunt too, but maybe doing what you do, drawing the animals that is, is safer and more respectful."

Manuel chuckled. "Well I guess that's one way to put it."

"Are you here with your class, like in an art class or something?"

"It's a summer trip from my biology class. Everyone is just wandering around. I'm a hobbyist, and one of those hobbies is drawing, so there you go. I take a sketchbook with me when I think I'll be inspired to sketch something."

"Well you're off to a good start! You draw the living form pretty well. Do you draw people too?"

"Not as often. I mean, I draw my friends sometimes. They seem to like it."

"What about yourself? Sometimes it helps to look in the mirror and make different expressions to understand the structure of the face."

"I haven't tried, but that's a good suggestion. I'll do it sometime, thanks."

"You're welcome. You have a good face to draw. Your jaw bones are nice, and I'm sure your hair would be fun to draw."

He laughed. "My hair is always a mess, but I don't wanna cut it, even though my mom probably tells me I should. I like it this length."

"I'll never understand kids these days with their hair long like that."

"It's only up to my earlobes. It's not that long."

"Well you have a good facial structure for it."

"Thanks." He looked at the man. "So what kinds of birds do you—"

"Oh, yup, you'd be a perfect model for an art piece," the man replied, making a rectangle with both his hands. "Your eyes especially! A lot of character there." He smiled. "By the way your face is shaped…hmm…you're…Hispanic?"

"Er, Mexican, yeah."

"Ha ha, of course! Sorry, I try to pick up on accents but you speak so fluently I could hardly hear yours."

"Years of practicing English. It comes in handy."

"Well you speak it very well!"

Manuel smiled at the compliment, but as he looked at the friendly man, his heart began to pace faster. His smile vanished as his eyes widened the longer he stared. He put away his pencils and closed his sketchbook.

"Uh, well I need to get going. It was nice chatting."

He didn't wait for a response and walked over to Kiku.

"H-Hey Kiku."

"Oh, Manuel-san. Hello."

"So whatcha doin'?"

"I just finished taking pictures of birds here at the aviary—"

"Hey y'know what else would make for a good photo? Giraffes! Yeah, let's go look at some giraffes!"

"Well, alright then, if you insist. Uhm, but may I ask—"

"Hey Kiku, c-can I tag along with you for the rest of the day?"

"Of course Manuel-san." They both walked out of the large cage and on the trail to the giraffes. Kiku noticed Manuel looked unusually worried. "Why the sudden desire to walk with me?"

"You're the only quiet person from our class I've run in to today and you don't scare off the animals."

"Ah yes, that makes sense. Oh, Manuel-san, do you mind if we stop to eat something? I'm a bit hungry…"

"No not at all! Yeah, let's eat… There's a restaurant close to the giraffe habitat, so we can go there okay?"

"Uh, sure. It's in the middle of the zoo and quite a ways from where we are now though."

"But that's good! That way we'll build up an appetite!" He looked for his map. "Damn… I think I dropped my map at the aviary."

"No need to fret. I have mine here." He handed it to Manuel. The latter opened it up and looked for the restaurant near the giraffes. Kiku noticed his hands were shaking slightly, the map trembling along with them.

"Manuel-san…are you alright?" asked Kiku with concern in his voice. "You look a bit pale, as if you've seen a ghost."

"I'm just…just hungry! Okay uh…the giraffes are this way! C'mon Kiku!"

The shorter boy followed, paying close attention to his Mexican friend. He didn't calm down until they reached the restaurant where they spotted a few of their other classmates, Alfred and Navah included.

"Hey Manny!" Alfred said. "Haven't seen you in a—"

He wasn't paying attention, but staring absentmindedly at the menu bolted on the wall of the eatery.

"…Manny?"

"Oh, hey Alfredo! I just came with Kiku to eat!"

"You wanna share a table with us? I mean…Navah and I?"

"That would be delightful Alfred-san," Kiku replied for his friend. His strange behavior only caused him to worry more.

When they both got their food, they sat down with Alfred and Navah.

"Hey Kiku! Manuel!"

"Good afternoon Navah-chan. Are you enjoying your day?"

"Yes, I am. Alfred bought me this cute little elephant plush!"

The blonde scratched his cheek, a bit embarrassed. "W-Well I had extra money on me so…"

"It was a very sweet gesture. Thank you Alfred."

"Ha ha, don't mention it!"

Kiku bent the plastic fork he had been eating his salad with. "Oh… Uh, excuse me, let me go get another one." He walked back to the line and got three extra plastic forks for good measure, and then returned with a churro. "Uhm, Manuel-san, here. I know these are some of your favorite sweets."

"Oh, _gracias._" He set it down on a napkin and continued eating his hotdog.

The other three stood quiet as they stared at him, concern now turning into absolute worry.

"Hey dude…are you okay?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Well for one, you just dowsed your French fries with your soda."

"Holy shit what?" He looked down at his food. "Fuck. I could've sworn this was the ketchup bottle. Ugh, now I gotta get another one—"

"Uhm…I'll get you some more fries."

"Navah, it's okay. I don't—"

"No please, let me buy you some fries, okay?"

"…well…fine, I guess."

She got up and went to the line. Alfred and Kiku looked at Manuel as he focused his attention on his hotdog, staring at the churro on his napkin. There was complete silence between them until Navah returned with the fries. "Here you go."

"Thanks."

Alfred placed the ketchup bottle in front of him. "Don't get them confused."

"I won't." He squirted some ketchup on his fries and ate them quietly.

"Er…so Kiku, did you get any good photos?"

"Well I managed to catch some birds cuddling, antelope grazing, a lion sleeping on its back, and Aksel-san wanted me to take a picture of a chimpanzee urinating…so I will have to develop that…"

Alfred busted out laughing. "Oh man, can you get me one of those too?"

Kiku gave a smile and shook his head. "Of course Alfred-san."

They spent about half an hour eating and then parted ways, Manuel and Kiku walking to the giraffe. Kiku took some photos and noticed Manuel had calmed down as he sketched the tall animal, his hands no longer shaking and his skin back to its normal tone. _I wonder what had him so frightened…_

"Manuel-san, may we go and see the pandas?"

"Oh, sure. I'm just about done drawing the _girafas._" He put away his pencils in his pocket and closed his sketchbook. "Did you get some good photos?" he asked as they walked to the panda habitat.

"Yes. My camera is of considerable quality so the photos should come out crisp and clear."

"Ha ha, you like photography huh?"

"I suppose so."

"You should become a photographer for like National Geographic or something! You get to travel around the world!"

"Perhaps, but my future would be more solid if I were to invest my time with the medical field."

"True, but wouldn't you rather do something you enjoy? I mean, why wake up every morning hating yourself because you have to work at a job you don't like even though it gets you whatever material thing you want? That's no way to live."

"You wouldn't want to live like that Manuel-san?"

"Nope. I don't even know what I wanna do as a career, but I definitely know I don't wanna hate myself every Monday morning. I mean…what, at eighteen we're already supposed to know what we wanna do for the rest of our lives when we haven't even started living yet? That kinda sucks, don't you think?"

"Well when you put it that way…it makes a lot more sense."

"Oh, here's the panda habitat. Let's go inside."

Kiku looked at his camera and thought about what Manuel said. _I have been applying to medical colleges…only because that is what Yao and the others are doing…but I don't think I want to spend my life at hospitals or telling people that their relative or friend didn't make it through the night…_

His train of thought was broken when he saw the pandas roaming around.

"Aww, _que lindos_, aren't they Kiku?"

"Yes, they're very adorable." He smiled in delight as he took photos of a mother and her cub. The habitat was constructed beautifully so he walked around the large area to get better shots. He stopped dead in his tracks when his lens focused in on Alfred and Navah at the bottom tier of the habitat, observing the pandas, the girl laughing as a cub rolled over. Kiku could see the blush on Alfred's face.

"Manuel-san."

"Yeah?"

"Let us get a closer look at the bottom tier."

"Uh, well sure."

When they reached the bottom, Manuel found a panda eating some bamboo and decided to sketch it. Kiku took more pictures with a slight glare in Alfred's direction.

"Oh, hey Kiku!"

"Hello Alfred-san."

"Didn't expect to see you here so quickly."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, 'cause you and Manny were at the giraffe habitat not too long ago."

"Manuel-san is a good artist so it was no trouble for him to finish quickly, and the giraffes were in a pleasant mood so my photos were quick."

"Ah, okay."

The Japanese teen walked over to the sketching Manuel who was very much appreciative that none of his loud classmates were in the habitat.

"So did you get some sweet photos Kiku?"

"Yes, I did. How are you sketches coming along?"

"Pretty good. These guys are adorable. I'm glad Alfredo is quiet for once, but then again being around somebody you like makes you do things you wouldn't normally do. Sometimes even stupid things." He chuckled.

"Yes." He noticed Alfred and Navah walking their way. "Ehm, Manuel-san, did you know pandas are an endangered species?"

"Yeah it says so right here on the plaque."

"Oh but, the plaque is very minor when it comes to details on the animal species."

"…uh…well it's not like they're gonna have pamphlets for every habitat. That's a waste of paper and why the internet exists."

"Well, did you know that if a mother gives birth to twins, she looks after the stronger one and the weaker one is left to die?"

"What? Why?"

"Because she does not store fat and doesn't produce enough milk for two."

"Well that's depressing."

"Hey Manny!"

"Hey Alfredo, Navah."

"Hello Manuel."

"Enjoying your time here?"

"Yes! The pandas are so adorable."

"M-Manuel-san."

"Yeah Kiku?"

"Did you also know that pandas are solitary territorial animals?"

"I figured as much—"

"And that they each have their defined territory, so a female panda will become upset and not tolerate another female in her area. They also communicate through clawing trees and urinating."

_Oh my God._ "Uh, Kiku you might wanna slow down with—"

"They also don't have a permanent den so they don't hibernate unlike other bears and will move to warmer areas instead. And they are only social during the mating season and the females raise the cubs alone."

Manuel looked a little flabbergasted as the information dump from Kiku kept coming, Alfred and Navah looking a bit confused.

"Woah Kiku, you sure know a lot about pandas."

"Of course Alfred-san. I know about every animal in this zoo. Would you like to know anything in particular?"

"Nah dude, it's okay. Navah and I already talked about 'em as we were walking!"

"Oh. I see. Well then Manuel-san, let us continue. The sexual maturity of a giant panda is anywhere around four or eight years, and they may be reproductive until they hit age twenty. They only breed once a year which is usually in springtime, around March through May. When mating, the female crouches down and then the male mounts—"

"Woah! Kiku, uh, thanks but I really don't wanna know how animals have sex, if that's fine with you. The internet will do just fine in filling in the blanks for the rest of the panda profile."

"That is quite alright Manuel-san. Is there any particular animal you'd like to know about, perhaps an avian species like the macaw or a reptile like the Komodo Dragon?"

"Uh, no I'm fine right now, thanks. I kinda just wanna draw."

"Where is Alfred-san and Navah-chan?"

"Oh, they left already. I think you scared them with how fast you were pouring out information like a computer," he laughed. "Let's go back to the top tier."

Kiku walked up the steps shamefully, a blush on his face. Manuel looked behind him and said, "What's wrong?"

"I was too aggressive with my knowledge, wasn't I?"

He chuckled. "Oh come on Kiku. You were just trying to show your stuff, like a peafowl."

"What?"

"The peafowl, y'know peacocks? That's what the male is called at least. Peacocks are colorful. Do you know why?"

"Uhm…"

"It's to impress a peahen, the female peafowl. A lot of males in bird species are colorful for the sole purpose of attracting a female. If the female isn't impressed, she just moves on to find another mate who will put on a bigger show."

"What are you implying?"

"Nothing. Why, did you think I meant something by it? Are you suggesting you're the peacock trying to impress Alfredo the peahen?"

"N-No! That is a ridiculous mental image and assumption! Manuel-san I know you are clearly aware of my sexual preferences b-but that does not mean I have grown a fondness for Alfred-san in a romantic manner!"

"Hey man calm down!" He laughed again. "I was just joking! I don't want your face to explode. It's really red."

"Oh…it is?"

"Yeah, like _un tomate._"

Kiku put his hands on his cheeks and felt them flare up. Manuel continued to chuckle. "But Alfredo in a peahen costume. Man that's hilarious."

"I apologize for my behavior Manuel-san. I suppose I was just trying to prove something to myself and just being plain dumb."

"Aww, it's okay. We're all a little dumb sometimes. Now let's go to the top so we can cross the bridge to the orangutan hab—"

When he stopped suddenly, Kiku followed the direction of his stare to the top tier in a corner. There was a man in a black baseball cap taking pictures of the pandas. Kiku looked carefully at Manuel from behind, noticing the slight tremble of his hands as he held onto the railing. _Just like the aviary…_

"Y'know what Kiku? Maybe we can go see the zebras. That would be a great photo. We can see other primates later."

"Okay, we will go see the zebras Manuel-san."

"Y-Yeah, and then the elephants, even though both habitats are far from where we are now!"

He followed Manuel out the door from the panda habitat and found it suspicious he would say such an obvious thing. As they walked, from time to time Kiku noticed he'd look behind them and didn't get a sense of security until they reached the farthest habitat from wherever they currently were.

_This is a lot of unnecessary walking, especially if we're just going back and forth. Manuel-san…what exactly has frightened you?_

* * *

It was nearing four o' clock and the students were now busying themselves with the gift shop. Logan gawked at the giraffe plush Antonio bought.

"Woah, that thing is huge! Is that for you?"

"No, this is for Lovi!"

"DUMBASS!" Lovino stormed out of the shop and walked toward Antonio. "I was fucking around when I said I wanted that!"

"…but I already bought it. Now what do I do with this?"

"How the hell should I know? Give it to Sanne or something."

"But she didn't come on this trip."

"Exactly why you should give it to her."

"Her brother is going to be on my back if I do that though… He'll think there's a hidden meaning to it."

"Well I sure as hell don't want that thing."

"Lovi then why'd you make me buy it?!"

"I didn't make you do anything!"

"Ooooh, Antonio!" Feliciano bounced over to him. "Did you really buy that?"

"Yes, I did! But…originally it was supposed to be for Lovi but he doesn't want it. Do you want it Feli?"

He gasped. "Yes!"

"Okay, then here you go!"

"_Grazie!_" He hauled the large plush over to Ludwig. "Look what Antonio gave me!"

"My God. Feliciano, how are you supposed to carry that to the bus?"

"Uhm…sideways? Hey can you help me out? Ah ha…it's kinda heavy…"

Lovino shook his head. "Everyone I'm associated with is an idiot."

"Ha! In your face!" shouted Arthur as he and Francis began walking to the gift shops. "I managed to keep my comments to myself today!"

"Well I was wrong. It really does seem like you learned self-control."

"Of course. I have a strong will, unlike you. Now you have to buy me whatever I want."

Francis gave a groan. "Yes…that was part of the bet wasn't it?"

"Now I don't have to go on that pitiful date with you."

"Yes, you don't—"

"It probably would have been a complete joke too."

"Well I don't know about that—"

"Hmm…what do I want…" He browsed through the store. "Ah, this."

"A book? You could buy that at any bookstore."

"Check the price tag."

"This is way too much for a book."

"Now I don't know about that. It's rather heavy and the drawings of the animals are well done, not to mention the amount of information in here. This is what I want."

"Are you sure you don't want something more useful like a coffee mug or a stuffed animal to give to Peter?"

"I don't drink coffee and he has enough plushies as it is."

Francis sighed. "Alright, fine. I will buy this for you." He took the book to the register, crying internally because of how much he had to pay for it.

"You're welcome Arthur," he said as he handed the bag to him.

"You lost the bet." He gave a cocky smirk. "There are no 'thank yous' necessary. You know, we should do this again sometime. I mean, after all the days of your harassment against me in every sense of the word."

"You know I only joke when—"

"They're not jokes. Everyone knows about your perverted antics and behavior."

"Arthur, you know for a fact that I stopped that nonsense the end of tenth grade."

"Ha, then why—"

"Because it's fun to pick on you, but if you want me to stop, I will."

"Yeah right."

"I really will."

"Okay fine, I want you to stop."

"Very well. I have no problem with that."

"Good, and every time you slip up, which there is a good chance you will at some point, I'll make sure to carry this book around so I can smack you with it—"

Francis turned sharply on his heel to stare angrily at Arthur.

"Do you really think I'm that bad of a person?"

"Well I can't say—"

"Do you even know _why_ I bought you that book?"

"Because I won the bet of course."

"No you didn't!"

"Yes, I _did._"

He shoved the map in Arthur's face. "Look at that. Tell me how many tally marks you see there."

"…twenty?"

"That's how many times you screwed up on the bet, but I just decided the whole thing was stupid because you were genuinely enjoying yourself, which was the whole point of this trip and the most important part of today! Your comments are amusing and I lost track after the second batch! But I wanted you to have a souvenir from the trip so you can remember how much you actually liked it and maybe even understand that just because I may have had a streak of deviancy doesn't mean I'm not a decent person!"

"Francis you didn't—"

"Yes I did because the only person you listen to is yourself! This was the only way I could communicate with you without having to hear your judgements!"

"That's not true! Look, if you would have told me—"

"Even when I try to be friendly, you take that as some kind of trick!"

"Well how do you want me to take it when you and the remainder of your trio always play pranks on me and I can't tell if the action is genuine or not?!"

"They're funny but if they bother you so much we'll just stop!" He let out a frustrated sigh. "You know what Arthur, it's fine. If you want me to leave you alone, I will. I apologize for everything I have ever done to upset you. I don't want to argue about this anymore. We've walked a lot in the sun and I just want to go home and shower. I won't even claim my seat next to you in the bus since it bothers you."

Francis walked away to meet up with Gilbert and Antonio who had him in high spirits rather quickly. Arthur stood rooted to his spot, trying to process the quarrel. "Well don't I feel like the biggest bloody moron in the whole world."

When Mrs. Pennington had finished marking her attendance sheet, she said, "It looks like everyone is accounted for. I hope you enjoyed your zoo trip. Bus driver, take us home."

The same seats were shared before, except Arthur sat with Matthew this time. Kiku watched as Alfred continued to sit next to Navah at the back, feeling just a bit defeated.

"Hey Kiku, can I see the photos you took?" Manuel asked.

"Oh, of course Manuel-san. I was just looking through them."

Manuel browsed through the pictures, impressed at the angles they were taken in. "Kiku you sure you don't wanna become a photographer? These are pretty good."

"I have not taken it into consideration."

"Well it might be something you'd wanna look in to. Oh, here are the panda photos." Manuel gave a small chuckle when he noticed Alfred in about half of them, though he could tell Kiku tried to make it look like he was photographing the habitat and animals. _It's starting to become obvious, ha ha!_

The next photo was of the upper tier where a panda was roaming with a few visitors snapping their own photos. Manuel recognized the man in the baseball cap from earlier in the day. _He's the same one who was at the aviary… No but, of course. I mean, I've seen a lot of the same visitors in various places I've been to. Yeah, how dumb._ He stared at the picture for a long while, Kiku looking curiously at him when he didn't answer to his name.

Francis leaned over from his seat adjacent to theirs and put his hand on Manuel's shoulder. He jumped instantly, retracting his arm closer to his body. "Uh, Manuel are you okay?"

"Huh?"

"Kiku has been asking you to see your sketches, and I'd like to as well."

"Oh…y-yeah sure." He handed the sketchbook to Francis and gave the camera back to Kiku.

"Manuel-san, is everything alright? You have been unusually cautious ever since we left the aviary."

"Don't worry, I'm fine." The moment he gave a reassuring and chipper grin, Kiku remembered what Alfred had told him about feigning security with a smile. His mop haired friend began a conversation with Francis, seeming to have returned to his natural behavior.

_There is definitely something that is bothering you Manuel-san. You can't hide behind that smile forever…_

* * *

"Man, today was a good day!" Alfred exclaimed as he got home. "The best zoo trip in my life!"

"Is it because of Navah?" asked Matthew with a laugh.

"W-Well no, not…not entirely. I mean, the animals were great too! How was your date with Kat?"

"I-It wasn't a date!"

"I saw those flirtatious glances and pokes bro."

"No! It was just a normal…look! And she started it so I wasn't gonna act cold!"

"Kat seemed really happy when we left."

"Well…Ivan threatened me in a not-so-threatening way to make sure she had a good time at the zoo."

"Dude, he totally approves of you and her becoming a thing."

"What?! Alfred that's stupid!" His twin laughed when Matthew's face turned red. "What's so funny?!"

"Nothing! Nothing. You still haven't given her that rabbit from the camping trip, have you?"

"I just haven't found the right time to do it."

"Well next time we go visit gramps at the hospital, you can give it to her then."

"Yeah I guess." Matthew looked at Kiku. "Did you have fun Kiku?"

"Hmm? Oh, yes, I did. I spent most of my day with Manuel-san. He was pleasant company."

"Hey Kiku, I didn't hear what you said about the pandas. Navah wanted to go to the orangutans, but it did sound interesting!"

"I thought you and her already discussed in detail about every animal?"

"Nah, only in the beginning. Our conversations always went to something random after. Besides, you're enthusiastic about it, and it's pretty adorable. You remind me of a friendly audio book or something."

He blushed. "Uh, well thank you Alfred-san. But actually I want to lay down for a bit in my room. I'm a little exhausted. Perhaps during dinner when your mother returns from her outing, we can discuss the fauna of the zoo?"

"Oh, well okay, yeah I'd like that!"

Kiku walked up to his room and closed the door. He sat on his bed and connected the camera to his laptop to organize the photos. The one Manuel had been staring at still concerned him.

"Augh. What was it about this person that Manuel-san didn't like? I'm positive this was why he was pale after the aviary." He tapped his chin, a bit frustrated. He bit his lip as his fingers stood hovered over his keyboard, the web browser open to the Google search engine. "He's my friend and I can't help but feel worried about him…"

He typed in the search box and a few hundred results popped up.

"Guess it's time I researched the behavior of a different kind of animal, one that should be locked away in a cage forever."

* * *

A/N: How the fuck do you write Berwald's dialogue. I did the best I could with that and the entirety of this chapter. Behold my skills at trying to juggle more than one relationship in a story. Well I really have nothing else to say about this chapter except that I like it slightly better than the previous one. I start school on the fourth so...I don't know when I'll post up the next installment. Hopefully sometime in March or sooner.

This chapter _would_ have been done by Tuesday but I caught a cold and I have been feeling like death this entire week, but I promised you all I'd get this chapter up before I returned to the lifestyle of academia. My biggest fear of me being sick is coughing because then I feel like I have to throw up every time... Urgh. Anyway, hope this chapter satisfied you guys. Until the next update!


	15. Foresight

Chapter 15: Foresight

It was nearing July and that meant only a few days until Alfred and Matthew's birthday party was to take place. The firework stands had already been laid out in various locations around the city. Kiku didn't like them much because of how loud they were, but he did enjoy it when they finally exploded in willows of color. After work the three of them were to go buy decorations since Emily was busy. What was even busier than the woman was the mall. Summer was in full throttle, and it was packed with people.

"This is always the hardest part of the job," Kiku said as he watched the clock ticking, hoping it would pace faster so he could leave and spend the rest of the day with the Jones twins. "The summer season. With school out, the mall has a lot of customers every day, even if only for the air conditioning."

He went back to his post at the register, adjusting the name tag on his shirt. "Hello welcome to—Heracles-san?"

"Oh, hello Kiku. I didn't know you worked here."

"Y-Yes, I do. I didn't expect to see you here."

"Well, we were going to go to the movies on the second level, but we wanted to eat first."

"We?"

"Oh, yeah, Navah and I, I mean. But she's in the restroom, so I'm going to order for her."

"Well, what would you like to order, Heracles-san?"

"I'm not that hungry so…maybe a thirteen combo, and a Caesar Salad for Navah."

Kiku punched in the order on the register. "Is that all?"

"Yeah."

"Okay then." The price showed on the register and Heracles paid. He smiled at him as he gave his change back. "There you go. Have a nice outing with Navah-chan, Heracles-san."

He smiled back. "I will."

The Japanese teen was sure he'd be jealous because he had liked Heracles for so long, but his heart didn't race or skip a beat at all. He deduced he was over him, which was a relief, especially since there were insinuations that he and Navah were beginning to date. Kiku was happiest about that since now he and Alfred could possibly—no, what? He shook his head a bit, rubbing his eyes.

"I need more sleep," he told himself. He watched as Navah joined the Grecian at a small table, smiling at him as she set her purse down. Staring harder, Kiku felt satisfied that things ended up like this. "Although…" he said to himself as he took out the salad from the fridge. "…if that truly is the case, I'm afraid of how Alfred-san will feel." He called their order as he placed it on the counter.

Navah came up to receive it, smiling at Kiku with surprise on her face. Just like the next person in his school, they didn't expect to see the lithe boy working at a fast food restaurant of all places. It dawned on him that the second location the couple would go to would be the movie theater on the upper floor.

"That is where Alfred-san works, at the concession stand…" He suddenly grew concerned. "He likes Navah-san a lot, and he's not stupid, so he will surely figure out the relationship between them… But there is nothing I can do…" He sighed, as he took other orders. "Why am I feeling guilty?" He straightened his posture. "This is not my fault. I have done nothing to jeopardize anyone's happiness. All of this transpired naturally. Yes, yes that's right Kiku."

"Talking to yourself again, Honda?"

"Thompson-san! You startled me. Uh, no I was just thinking out loud. I apologize."

"Don't sweat it son. Your shift is over anyway."

"It is?"

"Yes. It's one in the afternoon and I made sure Charlie didn't fake another sick day. You're free to go home now."

"Oh, right, it is. Thank you Thompsan-san." He bowed and then went to the break room, grabbing the bag that was stashed in a corner. Inside were day clothes since he didn't like walking around in his work uniform. Changing quickly before anyone come in, he headed outside to the parking lot to put away the uniform and grab his wallet from Alfred's car.

"It's very convenient that the three of us have similar work hours." They had agreed they would leave belongings in the car, Kiku being the first one to get the keys since he got out earliest. Matthew would have them next, and finally Alfred. It was a system that worked well for the trio.

He went back inside, riding the escalator to the second floor. He found the bookstore in the middle of the right level. Matthew was toward the back working on a shelf.

"Hello, Matthew-san."

"Oh, good afternoon Kiku," he said with a warm smile. "Are you off of work already?"

"Yes. I requested that the next few days I come in at six in the morning so that I may get out in the early afternoon. I want to assist you and Alfred-san with the planning for your party."

"Aww, thanks Kiku! That's very thoughtful."

"So what are you doing?"

"Well we got some new books in stock so I'm putting them away. Today I'm not working the register."

"I see." He looked at the books on the adjacent shelf as Matthew continued to organize the titles. "Matthew-san?"

"Yes?"

"Would you happen to have any books on psychology?"

"Oh, of course. We have a pretty decent collection. I'm almost finished here. Just let me put these three away and then I'll take you to the aisle."

"Okay."

Kiku glanced around the store. It was a big space in the mall, the store even having two floors. _Well, it's good to know people are still reading. I would be devastated if this place were to go out of business._

"Alright Kiku, let me take you to the second floor." He followed Matthew and watched as the younger twin scurried about, looking for the psychology aisle. "Ah, here it is." Kiku began to look at the spine of the books, reading the titles.

"What exactly is here? I mean, in terms of subject matter in psychology."

"Different things really. We have some on child development, phobias…" He browsed through the shelf, his finger tipping the spines to see the front covers. "…psychological disorders, sexual disorders, general psychology books—"

"Do you happen to have any on criminal psychology?"

Matthew raised an eyebrow. "Why the sudden interest? First you were buried in animal biology books, and now you're curious about what makes a criminal?"

"I am…trying to be a well-rounded academic mind, is all." Hey, it wasn't a _total_ lie.

He laughed a bit. "Well okay. I can't say that's a bad thing. What kind of criminal psychology are you looking for? We have books on the general one that covers a wide variety of different criminal types, like psychopaths and manipulators, and then we have books on specific criminal activity, like robbery, murder, homicide, kidnapping, pedophiles, rape—"

"Uh, the last one, m-more specifically."

Matthew looked at Kiku curiously, not sure why he'd want to read about such a depressing topic. "Well, I haven't read any of these, but my best bet would be…" He browsed through a small section. "…this one." He pulled it out and handed it to Kiku. It was a semi-thick book titled, _Criminal Intent: From Arsonist to Organized Crime. _He looked at the back of the book, reading the summary aloud. "'What makes an arsonist? Can people be born psychopathic? What causes a person to commit murder? Are traumatic experiences in childhood the reason for pedophiles? These and many more questions are answered in detail for the layman to recognize the telltale signs of a criminal or potential law offender, and to not sympathize with, but understand why a criminal commits such heinous acts.'"

He stared at it for a bit, flipping the pages. "Well, the information is organized, and each type of criminal seems to have quite a bit of detail to them. Ah, they even have information about common effects left on the victims." He winced a bit at the price. Matthew chuckled.

"I knew I'd see that reaction from you. The price is a bit intimidating, but it's a good read. I have a coworker who is a declared criminal justice major at her college, and this is one of her most favorite books. She often tells me about her findings, so I think this will help you, whatever it is you're looking for."

"Thank you Matthew-san. I think I shall buy this one then. It's much more difficult to find specifics on the internet because the information isn't always reliable, or it's too little for me to fully comprehend…"

"What made you take the sudden interest in criminal psychology?"

"Oh, uhm…" He wondered if he should tell Matthew about Manuel's odd behavior at the zoo a few days ago. He had kept it to himself, investigating alone, but the second Jones twin was reliable and could be trusted. Besides, he has been the Mexican boy's friend for a much longer amount of time than Kiku has been, and after that outburst on the camping trip, well…he definitely needed to know at this point. "Uh…well, uhm…"

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

"No, I feel like I should, because you are his friend too, and neighbor—"

"Wait, you're reading all of this because of what Manuel told us in April?"

"Y-Yes… But it's because I have grown extremely concerned—" He began to tell Matthew about the zoo trip, making sure to defend his reasoning with the odd behavior in the Hispanic teen. "…and that is why I haven't stopped thinking about it since."

Matthew didn't know how to reply for a good minute. "…have you told Manuel that you've noticed?"

"No. I fear if I tell him, he will get upset, especially since I'm researching the topic. But I just want to help… Alfred-san noticed he was acting different that day, but I don't know if he's come to a similar hypothesis." He sighed heavily and began to walk to the register. "Manuel-san hates talking about it, but the longer he tries to ignore it or forget it ever happened, the worse it'll be when he experiences a trigger. That's why he tends to get angry easily, and why he doesn't like to be touched without permission. It all makes sense…" He groaned. "I worry too much about many things I can't control, and another has just piled onto my shoulders. Now I'm afraid for Alfred-san…"

"Why are you afraid for him?"

"…because I think Heracles-san and Navah-chan are dating, and he doesn't know."

That stopped Matthew for a few seconds. "…what made you come to that assumption?"

"They were together in the food court at the McDonald's I work at, and unless I am more naïve in the field of romance than I had initially thought, they were too close to be 'just friends.' Alfred-san really likes her, but…well I just don't ever want to see him sad! He's always so happy and optimistic, and encourages others to be the best they can be! He is a noble person with a big heart and I just…!"

He calmed down when he got to the register. "I just don't want to see him with a frown. He told me that people feign happiness with a smile and get into the habit of acting like nothing is wrong, but deep down, that is very much false. It's beginning to show with Manuel-san, and if Alfred-san is the same way…then I just don't know what I'm going to do…"

Kiku paid for the book, Matthew ringing it up for him personally on a vacant register. He was careful to examine his facial features. He looked dejected as he spaced out, staring at the wooden countertop. He handed Kiku the bag and said, "It's wonderful that you think about your friends so much and want to help with their well-being, but sometimes Kiku…the only thing you can do is support them when things go down the toilet. It's not in the best of times that shows a person's true colors, but instead it's the worst of times that reveals their character."

"Perhaps you are right, Matthew-san. I guess I'm so worried because your brother is such a good person and has been a wonderful friend to me that I don't want to see him in pain."

"Believe me Kiku, I'm the first person to stand in line for that."

"As twins, do you two feel the same when the other is having an intense emotion, such as sadness or happiness?"

"Well, happiness, yes, but neither of us have been sad to the point of depression. I think it would be devastating to us both though."

"I see…" He looked up at the blonde. "Thank you for helping me find a book, Matthew-san."

"You're welcome Kiku. Anytime."

"When are you on break?"

"Well today it's not as busy as usual, and we have more employees here, so I can leave a little early. Did you want to do something?"

"I just have a lot of spare time since Alfred-san doesn't get out of work for another hour."

"Okay, well, there's a party store on the first level. I just have to go to the back to check inventory, and then I'll meet you. You can sit on one of the chairs if you want to start reading the book."

"Alright, I shall do that."

* * *

Lovino poked at his food, waiting for Antonio to return from the restroom. They were at a restaurant in the mall having lunch. He didn't want to come here because he knew a lot of his classmates frequented the place, but it had a movie theater and good stores to browse in, so he would just have to endure it. Besides, he always enjoyed himself when he and the Spaniard would go on a date.

Date. Wow, he still had trouble saying it, even in his head. It had been about a month and a half that the two started dating. He was nervous to confess, but the longer he waited, the higher the chances somebody else would take Antonio, and he wasn't going to have any of that jealousy crap. Not anymore.

He blushed, remembering when he finally told him after school one day. He was expecting rejection from the pause Antonio took, but he heard nothing other than, "I like you too Lovi, a lot actually." He smiled at the Italian and even gave a nervous chuckle, his own cheeks becoming rosy. "If you really want to try, we can—"

"Y-Yeah, I'd like that," he replied with a sheepish smile. He could've sworn his heart exploded when Antonio gave him a chaste kiss on the lips, the other laughing as Lovino's face grew redder every passing second. It was easier to display affection in private than in public. A lot of people still didn't know they were dating, at least, that's what the Italian hoped. Knowing Antonio's blabber mouth though, Gilbert and Francis probably already knew.

"Why if it isn't Antonio's adorable little lover ~"

Speak of the devil, and he shall come.

"Oh God you work here?" Lovino asked Francis, hiding his face in his hand. The Frenchman chuckled in response.

"Don't get so red! I'm your waiter for the remainder of your meal. My coworker is on break."

"Figures…"

"Oh, come on Lovino." He sat in the booth across from him. "Why are you so embarrassed? Antonio adores you and is euphoric that you're together!"

"I'm just as happy as he is but I don't want the entire world to know our business!"

"Ah, so you are making _amour_ already. That was quick." Francis couldn't help but laugh as Lovino's face caught fire, his eyes filled with rage.

"That is none of your concern!" he said between clenched teeth.

Holding up his hands in defense, he continued to chuckle. "I get it, I get it. But really Lovino, it's wonderful that you two are an item now. I was wondering when one of you would finally confess."

"…so, he did like me…for a while?"

"Of course! He doesn't stop talking about you and all your cute habits!"

He felt happy at that, but he wasn't going to let Francis know it.

"And you probably don't want to hear this, but your brother and Gilbert aren't the only ones who know either."

Shit.

"…?!" He couldn't get any words out of his mouth as his jaw hung open.

"Oh _mon cher…_ Are you that oblivious to your surroundings? All of our friends have caught on."

When Lovino buried his head in his folded arms on the table, Francis simply patted his shoulder as he stood up. "They were going to find out sooner or later. You and Antonio try so hard to hide it, when actually, you're just making it more obvious."

"…everybody knows, like, everyone?" he said slowly.

"Yes? I just said that. Why? Is there somebody you don't want to—" A light bulb went off in his head. "Oh." He suddenly looked concerned. "_Oh._" He shifted the menus in his arms and gave a sad sigh. "Unfortunately, love is a gamble, and it will forever stay that way. With your romantic endeavors, you may lose friends and family, and hurt people you never wanted to."

Lovino saw Francis look at the entrance of the restaurant, his expression becoming a bit cold. "Well then, I better get back to work. If you need anything, flag me down and I will get it for you. Enjoy the rest of your lunch with Antonio." He smiled at waved at him, heading off to check on other customers.

The Italian looked back at the front of the eatery and saw Arthur being escorted to a lone table with a menu. He noticed the Briton glancing at Francis who was doing a fabulous job at ignoring him and pretending he didn't even exist. Lovino had never seen the cranky young man with such a worrisome expression before.

"They haven't talked in a while," he said to himself. "I wonder what happened? Is that what Francis meant by the gamble? Maybe." He gave a heavy sigh. "Ugh, but I know I'm just trying to make excuses so I don't think about my own selfish actions… But then, how can it be selfish? I mean, pfft, I don't even know if he likes him! Yeah, I shouldn't care! Why am I feeling guilty?" He crossed his arms and smiled proudly, but it was wiped off his face as fast as it had gotten there. "But I'm not stupid either and the signs were becoming more obvious…and if he knows…" He laid his head on the table and clenched his hair in his fists. "Friendship is fucking hard."

"Lovi, what's wrong?" Antonio came back and sat in his seat.

"It's nothing." He sat back up.

"_Mi amor_, you can tell me anything."

He gave him a reassuring smile. "Really, it's nothing, 'Tonio."

"Okay, if you say so _cariño._" He smiled and looked at the dessert menu. "Aaah ~ Do you want ice cream?"

"Sure. Oh, yeah, Francis is our waiter for the rest of the meal."

"Okay." He called his friend from the aisle who walked over and greeted them happily. The Italian glanced at Arthur who was eyeing them, but trying to look preoccupied with his menu when he caught Lovino peering at him. _Whatever happened between them, Arthur's too proud to say anything, and Francis is stubborn. Maybe Antonio knows… I'll ask him later._

"So Lovi, do you wanna go see a movie?"

"Oh, yeah, sure. What's out?"

"I dunno. We'll just check the time listings. Maybe Alfred can give us discounts."

He gave a short laugh. "I'll be crossing my fingers."

* * *

"Thanks! Enjoy your movie!" He recognized the next customers in line. "Ah! Toni, Lovi! What can I get you guys today?"

"Alfred, I thought you worked at the ticket booth!" cried Antonio, Lovino glaring at him from the side.

"No? I told you guys I work at the concession stand." He laughed when he realized what the whole fuss was about. "Aww, you guys were hoping for discounted tickets, weren't you?"

"_Yes_," Lovino said sharply as he continued to glare at Antonio. "But maybe next time you should staple a note to Antonio's forehead to remind him!"

"I'm sorry Lovi! Look, I'm the one paying for this date any—"

"AHEM." Lovino cleared his throat loudly, drowning out the other's voice.

Alfred couldn't help but laugh. "Oh c'mon Lovi, it's not like everyone doesn't know." He simply pouted and crossed his arms, the blonde shaking his head. "So what can I get you two?"

"Popcorn and some drinks. Lovi, what do you want?"

"I really don't care." He began to walk away. "I'll get the napkins and shit. Just look for me in the theater fuckass."

"He is such a grump," Alfred said as he began to ring up the food. "But then again, so is Manny. It's a big surprise you can handle being around two foul-mouthed and bad-tempered guys!" He grabbed a bag of popcorn and set it on the counter while Antonio took out his wallet. "You two make a good couple."

"Yeah, we do."

He was a little too quiet for Alfred's comfort. "So…Lovi and Manny are getting along well, huh?"

"Yeah." Antonio gave a small smile. "They are, and I'm happy about it."

"I think we all are. They argue a lot less." He put the popcorn and sodas in a cardboard container. "Here you go Toni."

"_Gracias._" He handed him the money. "Uh, keep the change."

"Man, really? Thanks! Enjoy your movie! Or, y'know smoochin' if that's what you two decide to do."

Antonio chuckled and then waved him goodbye. He watched as the Spanish teen walked into the theater with the snacks. Alfred sighed. "Speaking of Manny, I haven't spoken to him ever since we came back from the zoo, and he hasn't called or anything. It's starting to worry me. I only get to talk with him when I—oh!"

Said person happened to walk up next at his register. _He seems fine_, Alfred thought as Manuel looked up at the menu. He smiled. "Hiya Manny."

"_¡Hola Alfredo! _So, I'll have some popcorn and a soda."

"Comin' right up!" He served him shortly, taking the money and handing him the change. "So what movie are you gonna see?"

"That one about the aliens."

"Ah, I saw it. It's pretty good! I think you'll like it."

He gave a chuckle. "You like everything with aliens though, so I can't really rely on that recommendation."

"Hey, don't judge it until you've tried it. I haven't seen you the past few days. What were you doing?"

"Uh, just, y'know, stuff."

"Like what kind of stuff?"

"Running, and…doing errands, helping my mom with the garden. Things like that."

"Oh, okay. Well you're coming to my party, right?"

"'Course! You know I wouldn't pass up a chance to tell embarrassing childhood stories."

"You still suck so much Manny. Why I'm even your friend I'll never know."

He laughed as he walked away. "Because you can't live without me Alfredo!"

"Hmm…the opposite side of where Toni and Lovi are. Well, guess that's a good thing." He looked at his cell phone. "Almost off of work. Almost… Then, I can start buying party supplies with Matt and Kiku!"

"Hey Alfred."

He put his phone away and was greeted by a familiar face. "Herc! Hey! What can I get for you today?"

"Well I don't want anything. I already ate. Uh, but maybe a small bag of popcorn and a water."

"Okay, comin' right up! Just grab a water bottle in the fridge over there." He scooped some popcorn into a bag and then walked back to the register. His face became red in an instant when he saw Navah walking up to Heracles.

"Alfred, I didn't know you worked here!"

"Y-Y-Yeah I do!" He handed the Grecian the popcorn. "Uh, s-so would you like anything?"

"Hmm? Oh no, I'm just going to share with Heracles."

"Here you go, Alfred."

"A-Ah, thanks." He opened the register and handed him some change. "There you go. S-So, you guys are at the movies together? Like on a date?" he joked.

Navah blushed a bit and said, "I-I'm going to go get some napkins."

"Okay, I'll join you after." He looked back at Alfred. "Well, we only recently started dating. This is our fifth."

"Oh, I-I see. Well, enjoy your movie!"

"Thanks. Your party is in two days, right?"

"Yup! You guys are gonna make it?"

He nodded. "Have a good day Alfred."

"You too Herc!"

He looked at his cellphone again. "Five minutes until my shift is over. I can leave a little early…yeah…" His eyes stared at the digital clock as he walked to the break room and sat down. He began to text Matthew that he was out.

Alfred walked out of the movie theater with a frown.

* * *

"Al!" Matthew said cheerfully. When he saw his twin, he walked up to him and caught the fraction of a second of melancholy on Alfred's expression. He quickly looked up at his twin and grinned. "Matt!"

"Ready to go shopping?"

"Yup!" His face lit up. "Kiku!"

"Good afternoon, Alfred-san." He blushed the instant Alfred gave him a bear hug, Matthew trying not to laugh. "U-Uhm," he simply patted his back with a hand. "H-How was w-work?"

"Good, good! I saw Toni and Lovi. Man even though they're together they're still the same as when they were friends. Oh, yeah I also saw Manny."

"Manuel-san? Oh, how is he?"

"Uh, good I guess. He didn't really want to talk, but he spoke to me like everything was fine so…" Kiku noticed the slight worry in his expression, but then he said, "And I also saw Herc and Nav."

That made his heart sink. "Ah, they were going to the movies?"

"Yeah. They're on a date. Man Herc's so lucky!" he laughed.

"You are not…sad?"

"Nah. I mean, bummed yeah, but not sad. It's okay though. She was just a crush. It's not like I'm in love with her or something like Matt is with Kat."

"I AM NOT!"

"Damn Mattie! Don't shout!" He chortled. "Your face is so red!"

_He is picking at Matthew-san's infatuation and acting slightly obnoxious. It's definitely bothering him_, Kiku thought to himself. "Well, shall we begin shopping for supplies?"

The trio walked to the party store on the first level. Walking to the themed aisles there was a lot of tropical decorum for the season, but Alfred and Matthew went to the Fourth of July section. "Okay, so what do we need…" he said as he began browsing.

Matthew took out a list from his pocket. "Well, basically everyone we invited is coming with their parents so…just get a lot of plates and napkins."

"Crap we're gonna need a cart."

"I shall go retrieve it," Kiku said. He grabbed a cart and pushed it to the aisle. "Might we also need some streamers and balloons?"

"Oh hell yeah. But we're gonna have to rent a helium tank. We'll do that last though."

"So are all of our friends attending?"

"Yup. And our cousins."

"You…invited your cousins, Alfred-san, Matthew-san?"

"Yeah, only some of them though 'cause our family is fucking huge," he ended with a laugh. "Okay, well, hopefully this quantity will be enough."

Kiku pushed the cart as the brothers gathered the supplies for the party that was to happen in two days' time. He was getting a bit excited himself, having never met the Jones's extended family.

He jumped when Matthew shrieked and Alfred yelled out "shit!" as a torrent of balloon bags fell on them. Employees rushed to their rescue, the twins surprised to find it was Tino and Berwald. Kiku giggled a bit and glanced to the side. He blinked as a small glass vase in the wedding section next to him cracked a bit. Silently he stared at it, feeling a little nervous.

"No, I am being foolish. There are no such things as bad omens…"

* * *

A/N: This chapter was actually supposed to be much, _much_ longer, but then it got too long to be put into a single chapter. It's a shame really, since I'm half-way done with it too. I thought I wouldn't have enough content to make the second half its own chapter, but man did I prove myself wrong. Anyway, the next installment will be filled with a lot of drama...I guess...and it's probably the biggest plot point to date. Kiku's book is fictional, but it's based off of one I'm currently reading. It's about character traits for writers. It goes into the psychology of actual human beings so a writer can create more believable characters, and the chapter I'm going to start next, chapter five, is about different types of criminals. It actually works quite nicely with the timing of this plot.

Uh, I don't know how long this story will be, but it will definitely exceed twenty five chapters so...it'll still be in-progress for some time. Originally, Alfred was supposed to be the main character, but I think I got carried away somewhere in the middle and unintentionally made Kiku the main protagonist... Which isn't bad because Ameripan is the central pairing, but I just didn't think it'd turn out this way. I do enjoy writing from Kiku's perspective though. I was being bad and worked on this next chapter for you guys instead of making a short story for my creative writing class. Ah and it's due Tuesday and I still have all this drawing homework I need to do for art class... I am the queen of procrastination, and that's actually something I should be ashamed of. orz But I will manage my time somehow!

I know this chapter was short, but I'm hoping the next one will make up for it. I'll probably update again in late April or the beginning of May, as much as I wanted to wait until July to post it, but oh well. I'm impatient. Until the next chapter!


	16. Bloodline

Chapter 16: Bloodline

Kiku squinted as he began to wake up, hearing Alfred and Matthew downstairs. He looked at his clock. 8:00am. "Ah, it is the day of the party. How could I have forgotten?" Groggily, he exited his room and began to clean himself up.

He walked downstairs in his day clothes. Emily was outside setting up tables while the twins began putting up the decorations.

"Good morning everyone," he said as he walked out.

Emily smiled. "G'morning Kiku! Did you sleep well?"

"Yes, in fact I did. Do you need help?"

"Oh how thoughtful. Actually, we need _a lot _of help! If you can start putting the helium in the balloons, that'd be great sweetie."

"I will Jones-san." He walked over to a bag where the balloons were held and began to inflate them. He became frustrated when he couldn't make a knot, the air escaping as a result.

"Ha ha, need help Kiku?" Alfred asked.

"Ah, u-uhm, shamefully I do."

"Nothing to be ashamed about! How 'bout this? You inflate the balloons, and I'll tie the ribbon around 'em."

"Okay."

Kiku wasn't sure how many balloons they needed, but he didn't stop until Alfred told him to. He went to the front yard and tied three to the mailbox: one red, one white, and one blue. Smiling at his handiwork, he went back inside to help decorate.

By 11:45am the house was set up. Matthew finished cleaning the pool and walked inside. "It's getting hot out there already."

"Today's gonna be like 95 degrees or something," Alfred replied.

"That is…that is quite high."

"Aww don't worry Kiku, when everybody gets in the pool, it won't be bad! Plus, we have the AC on."

"Okay boys, I'm going to go get ready so if people start coming, just let them in to the back." Emily disappeared upstairs.

"So when does the party start?" Kiku asked.

"We said noon to one, so hopefully people get here on time."

"That is early…"

"Well then it'll be too hot and everybody will wanna be inside!"

Kiku got nervous as the first doorbell rang, but gave an audible sigh when Manuel walked in with his family.

"God Manny, you don't have to be the first one… It takes you literally thirty seconds to get here. You won't miss anything.

"Alfredo you are helpless with setting up parties. Have you even turned on the grill or set out the meat to defrost?"

"No…"

"I see you didn't even decorate the exterior nicely."

"Hey now."

He shook his head. Jose walked outside to start the grill while Maria went into the kitchen. "Anyway, here is your present and Mateo's. _¡Feliz cumpleaños!_"

Matthew took the gifts. "Thanks Manuel. Well you're early, so I don't know what to tell you…"

"I'll just help out. It's fine."

"Okay."

Alfred crossed his arms and shook his head as Manuel followed his brother. "That Manny. Well Kiku, are you ready?"

"For what, Alfred-san?"

"To meet my cousins!"

"Oh, y-yes."

"I've told them a lot about you!"

"Have you?"

"Yeah! They can't wait to meet you!"

He blushed a bit. "Well I hope they won't be disappointed."

"Oh c'mon dude, you're adorable and pleasant company!" He gasped when he saw a car pull up on the street. He ran outside, leaving a flustered Kiku standing awkwardly near the doorway.

"Calm down Kiku. Stop stressing over everything. You will be fine and his relatives will like you. Do not let an information dump mishap occur again like at the zoo you imbecile!"

He straightened his posture when Alfred walked in with a very tall guest. He was a bit buffer than him and his hair was a bit darker. He was sporting a cowboy hat. "Well, is this the Kiku I've been hearin' about?"

"Yeah! Kiku! This is my cousin, Dean. Dean, Kiku!"

"Howdy!"

_Ah, that accent…_ "Hello Dean-san. It's a pleasure to meet you." He bowed, earning a laugh from the other. He grabbed him into a tight hug, Kiku's face flaring up.

"No need to be so formal! A simple handshake would've done ya just fine. Woah. Hey, ya alright? Your face is hotter than the sun on an August evenin'."

"Y-Yes, it's just uhm—"

"Kiku's sorta shy and blushes reeeeal easily. Sometimes I'm afraid his face might explode!"

Dean laughed. "Well ain't ya just as cute as a button! Nice to meet ya Kiku." He tipped the rim of his hat. "Where do I put your gift Al?"

"The coffee table in the living room."

"'Kay."

Kiku watched as Dean walked outside and greeted the Sanchez family. Manuel laughed when he gave him a big bear hug. "Your cousin, is he from the south?"

"Texas, actually. He's one of my closest and favorite cousins, a great dude!"

"He is very affectionate just like—"

"Al!"

His face brightened again, and a girl a few inches shorter than him ran to hug him. She had brown hair and sun kissed skin. "Oooh, I haven't seen you since the last reunion! I'm sorry I couldn't make your last two birthdays." She took off her sunglasses and smiled at Kiku when she saw him. "And is this the cutie patootie you've told me about?"

Alfred laughed. "Yeah, Kiku! Say hi to Olivia!"

"Hello, Olivia-chan." She squealed and hugged him, his face turning red once more.

"You're smaller than I thought, but _so_ adorable. I look forward to getting to know you better at the party!"

"Same here."

"Al, is Matt outside?"

"Yup."

"Oh! Manny's here too!" She clasped her hands together and whispered to Alfred, "Is he single?"

He laughed. "Uh, Liv, I'm pretty sure he's not interested, and the age gap is just too big."

"It's only a few years! You make it sound like I'm really old! But hey, I can wait until he's 21." She smiled and walked outside, greeting Dean first and then Matthew.

Kiku looked at Alfred. "Uhm, before I meet any more of your family, I have to ask…are they local or out of state?"

"Liv is from here, California, but Dean's from Texas, and there's one more cousin that's supposed to come. I would've invited all of them, but my house isn't that big to hold them all. Ah, there he is."

"Alfred."

"Hey Gary!"

"Nice to see you again."

Kiku looked up at the tall man. He looked similar to Alfred with the glasses, but his eyes were gray and his hair black. "This is Kiku?"

"Yeah! Kiku, this is my cousin, Gary."

"Ah, it's a pleasure to meet you, Gary-san." He bowed.

"You don't have to be so formal." He held out his hand for a handshake. He smiled. "Pleasure to meet you too." He slowly shook his hand, glad that he wasn't being crushed by another—oh wait, wait—yeah, spoke too soon. Gary smiled and hugged Kiku, though not as hard as Dean or Olivia. "Don't be so stiff!" he said. "You should relax a little more. Al told me you were a cute kid, but I had to see it to believe it."

Kiku simply blushed again, causing the tall man to chuckle.

"I'm glad you could make it Gary."

"Yeah, sorry Alfred. I finally got some vacation time. Who else is here?"

"Just Dean and Liv. I thought it'd be too excessive if everybody came. Maybe for graduation."

"Sounds like a plan. Nice to meet you Kiku." He patted his head and then walked out, greeting the rest of his family, Dean crushing him in another hug and Olivia jumping to hug him around the neck.

"He's from New York, before you even ask," he said to Kiku with a chuckle. "And that's the only extended family you'll be meeting for a while.

"Alfred-san, your cousins are very…uhm, affectionate."

"'Course! They have the Jones hospitality and bear hug!" He grinned. "They're my favorite cousins. You should come outside and talk with them!"

"I will, but uhm, somebody has to be here answering the door, don't you think? Our friends have yet to arrive."

"Shit, that's true… Well, then I'll stay—"

"No, I will manage the door. Go have fun with your cousins."

"Dude, you sure? I don't wanna leave you by yourself in here."

He smiled. "I'll survive Alfred-san."

"Great! Man I'm soooo excited!" He hugged Kiku tightly, the small teen catching his breath. He ruffled his hair with a wide grin and walked out to the backyard. Kiku put a hand to his heart, hopelessly trying to stop it from beating so fast. He smoothed his hair out and then waited on the couch for the doorbell to ring. Little by little, his friends walked in the front door with their parents, asking Kiku where to put the presents and food they brought. He directed them outside, watching them all mingle and set their swimming utilities on plastic chairs.

Emily rushed downstairs in blue swim shorts and a red and white striped bikini top. She was still adjusting the strap. "Kiku be thankful you're not a girl or that you have really big boobs. Man this will probably shrink once I get in the water..." His response was stunned silence. "Is everyone here Kiku?"

"Oh, yes, I believe so. They're in the back, starting to get into the pool."

"Oh good! C'mon sweetheart, let's go join them. It's getting hot outside."

"Uhm, actually I will just watch."

The woman pouted. "Kiku dear, why don't you wanna get in the pool?"

"For physical reasons."

"You can't swim?"

"No, I know how to swim, it's just…uhm, well I'd rather not get in the pool."

"Oh, okay honey, but still dress cool because you're really gonna hate the heat."

She walked out the sliding door and threw her hands up in the air as she welcomed everybody to her twins' seventeenth birthday party. The Japanese boy couldn't help but smile. "She is so proud of them both. I have never seen a mother adore her children so much. Jones-san is a very good parent."

He sat down and watched his friends splash around in the pool. Internally he laughed when Matthew wouldn't dare get near Katyusha. Ivan was on patrol, making sure nobody tried any funny business with her, until he realized she was saddened that people began to ignore her.

"B-But—"

"Matthew, you I can trust," Ivan said as he pushed him near his sister. "Please take care of her." His face went pink as the Russian boy swam away to join Yao who was already having a bad day, trying to keep Yong Soo from groping unsuspecting partygoers.

"This is a nice party Matthew!" Katyusha said. "They're always so full of spirit."

"A-Are you enjoying yourself?"

"Of course! I'm having a lot of fun already. I hope you like the gift I got you!"

"I like anything you give me!" he said. "You're always so thoughtful about others."

She giggled, twiddling with her fingers as she looked down, a blush coming to her face. Matthew couldn't help but smile at her. _Oh she's just so cute_, he thought to himself.

"Matthew?"

"Yes?"

"Do you think I intimidate people?"

"Huh? No! A lot of people like you!"

"Then why is it that nobody wants to hang out with me?"

"It's not that they don't want to it's…well, uhm, I'll hang out with you!"

"You will?"

"Yes, in fact, I'll be your party buddy for the rest of the day so you're not lonely, okay?"

"Oh, thank you Matthew!" She hugged him, earning a nervous chuckle from Matthew, trying not to look down as her large boobs pressed up against his chest. _Holy shit I should have worn a shirt._ He simply patted her back, terrified to hug her in case Ivan should see.

Alfred couldn't help but laugh and whistle in his direction, infuriating Matthew. "Al I'll climb out of this pool and drag you to the bottom of the deep end you bastard!" Kiku was amused, chuckling behind a hand.

"Ha! I'd like to see you try!" He walked over to Kiku and said, "Hey, since you're not getting in, even though you _kinda_ should, can you hold onto my glasses please?"

"Yes, of course Alfred-san."

"Thanks!" He removed his shirt and tossed it on the floor. Kiku's heart stopped when he took in the blonde's physique. He looked away and pretended to read his book as Alfred put on sunscreen.

_Don't look, don't look, DO NOT LOOK!_ was the mantra that kept going through his mind. He couldn't stop his heart from beating or his face from burning up. Alfred raised an eyebrow. "Man, Kiku are you okay? You don't look so good."

"I-I'm fine Alfred-san!" He looked at his face. "I will just move to a shadier spot."

"Well, alright," he said as he finished putting sunscreen on his arm. He ran to the pool and made a cannon ball in the deepest end of it. Kiku moved to a shadier spot and began to fan himself with his book, but it wasn't because of the heat.

_Oh, I don't understand. I have seen him without a shirt before in the locker rooms... The last time I felt this way was when I looked at Heracles-san, but now when I see him, there isn't a reaction. Instead, Alfred-san is the one who has gotten me so flustered._ But who could blame him? Countless girls crushed on the blonde goof, and now Kiku realized why. _He has a very toned body and those muscles are just... Well, both he and Matthew-san do but Alfred is…_ Oh, it was now getting to the point where he dropped the formality. He covered his face with a hand. _I think I will finally have to admit it to myself, as much as I'm afraid to…_

Kiku continued to read, trying to cool himself down. He wanted to get in the pool but was embarrassed of his slim structure. Everyone else had striking body frames, the females slender with curvature in desirable places, while the muscles and jaws on the males made them look more masculine than Kiku could ever hope to be. Hell, even Yao looked like a man. He sighed heavily and continued to read. It was the criminal psychology book he had purchased a few days ago, but he really didn't feel like reading.

"Alright, c'mon."

He looked up suddenly to find Alfred in front of him, his arms crossed. Water was dripping from his hair and down his shoulders. "Kiku, you can't stay here like a loner."

"But I'm quite fine with—"

"No, you're not. You look like a raincloud took a crap on you."

"Uh, what?"

"You look sad! I'm not gonna leave you out."

"B-But—"

"Today is a day for fun in the sun! C'mon buddy." He put his book aside and set the glasses down on top. "Gimme your shirt."

"Wh-What?!"

"You can't go in the pool with your shirt. See, the policy is, 'with shirt, no service' like the opposite of the actual one. …except it doesn't sound as catchy. Hand it over."

"Uhm…"

"If you're worried about how your body looks, nobody is going to give a damn. I mean, people don't like Francis's hairy chest or Arthur's hideous caterpillar eyebrows, but we really don't care about that because we're here to have fun, not poke at people's insecurities or what we don't find attractive in the human body."

Kiku blinked. "You are right Alfred-san. I'm sorry."

"There's no apology needed. Just discard the shirt, and come on in!"

"Oh, well, alright." He hesitated in removing his shirt because Alfred was watching him, but he had to get it over with. "Th-There," he said as he stood up, hugging his arms. They walked to the pool.

"Hey you can swim right?"

"Yes."

"Hold your breath!"

"Why—"

He was pushed into the water, the sound of the splash resonating throughout the pool. He swam up to the surface to breathe the next moment, taking a gasp of air as he emerged. He didn't think he could get angry with Alfred, but boy did that tear it. "ALFRED!" he shouted. It was so ferocious that everyone else looked at Kiku, a bit of astonishment on their faces.

"That is unacceptable behavior!" he continued. "Very, very unacceptable! I am capable of entering the pool just fine, thank you very much! In fact, I would have jumped in, perhaps in an attempt to make a cannon ball, but you had to _push_ me without prior knowledge of the intent! Were you trying to drown me or something?! I can see why Matthew and Arthur get so infuriated with you sometimes! You are obnoxious, loud, childish, and I _swear_ if you do that again, I will come at you with all my wrath!"

"Dude," Gilbert said, his eyes a bit wide. "Kiku just got pissed _off._"

Alfred stared at Kiku with shock all over his face, the other glaring at him, his shoulders spiked up in anger as his hands turned into fists. "Geez. I didn't know you'd react that way. I'm sorry Kiku…"

He calmed down, looking at his friends who continued to stare at him. His blush painted his features more vividly than it had ever before. His composure suddenly relaxed, tucking a lock of wet hair behind his ear. "N-No, I am sorry Alfred-san. I-I-I did not mean it. I was just in shock and I was not expecting to be flung into the water. F-Forgive me, please. And, a-and everyone else too. I am very, very sorry. It was out of place for me to yell like that." Kiku recoiled, swimming to a corner and sitting on the step.

_How embarrassing. I lost it…_ He hid his face in his hands, hearing the voices of the partygoers begin again. He heard somebody swim to him but he didn't look up until he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"A-Alfred-san…"

"I'm sorry Kiku. I guess I got carried away…"

"No, I know you were playing around."

The blonde sat next to him. "No, I shouldn't have done it regardless. I really scared you, didn't I?" He sighed. "That's how we stopped talking those years ago in the first place…"

"Ah! But that was different! Please, don't fret over it Alfred-san! I was just upset."

"Still, I feel bad."

"No, no please don't. I'm fine, don't worry."

"Are you just saying that because it's my birthday?"

"No, I'm being honest. And those things I said—"

"—are true."

"N…No they aren't."

"Yeah they are. I mean, if you didn't really feel that way, you wouldn't have said them, right?"

"Uhm…"

"Yeah, ah ha."

"But, but you are a very charming person and have more good points than bad. And I would need an entire day to point them out."

"I have that much time."

His cheeks reddened again. "Uh, okay, w-well, you are very brave and encourage people to do their best. You have faith in everyone, and you're intelligent. You're enthusiastic and optimistic, trying to see the bright side of every situation. You also have a warm heart, and that's what I like the most about you. You care a lot about those you love, and that is a quality I wish everyone had."

He smiled. "Thanks. But, y'know, I'm glad you yelled at me."

"Why?"

"I needed somebody to kick my ass. Matt and Artie do it on a constant basis but I don't take them seriously because of it. You rarely get angry and so it was a real shock factor for me. I was even a little afraid!" He gave a nervous laugh. "Like they say, beware the nice ones."

"I'm sorry…"

"There's no need to apologize. It reassured me that you're a friend who's here to stay."

"I'm confused…"

"You weren't afraid to yell in my face about the kind of person I am, the bad things at least. And you stood up for yourself, even against a friend. That takes a lot of guts, especially in front of everyone else."

"I am still quite embarrassed…"

He patted him on the back. "It's okay. I think for a moment there, I reverted back to my childhood habit…"

"What do you mean?"

"Ah…well…" Alfred looked at Heracles and Navah who were talking with Gupta and Neeraja. "You see, when I was little, I used to act even more obnoxious, but it was usually around the girls I liked. As I got older, it stopped and I went with like, a cool guy act, but I guess it turned into a nice guy act." He gave half a laugh and shrugged. "I really don't know!"

"But you were not acting nice. You _are_ nice."

"Thanks. But I think Heracles and Navah dating got to me after a few days, so that's why I've been more annoying." He looked at Kiku. "And that's why I dunno how many times I'll tell you sorry until I forgive myself, especially since you're my best bud."

Oh, the puppy dog eyes. Kiku really hated looking at those. He got weak in the knees whenever Alfred gave _anybody_ that look, though he wasn't sure if the blonde was aware he did that. "I cannot stay angry with you," he smiled. "Your disposition is too adorable for me to continuously be cross with you, Alfred."

He grinned, a bit embarrassed. "Aww shucks Kiku, I'm gonna blush!" He blinked. "Wait, you just called me 'Alfred', didn't you?"

"Uhm, uh I-I did?"

"Yeah."

"I apologize, Alfred-san…"

"No! There's nothing to be sorry about! That's a good thing, right? When you drop the honorifics? It means you're more comfortable around me now."

"Ah, w-well uhm, perhaps I just forgot. I still prefer to give everyone honorifics…"

"You don't always have to be so formal dude. You don't hear the rest us calling each other mister or miss, do you? We're all friends here."

"I'm afraid it'll still take some time for me to lose the habit."

"Well, okay then, if that's what you wanna do."

"Uhm, Alfred-san?"

"Mm?"

"How do you feel now about Navah-chan?" he asked slowly.

He paused before answering. "Eh, well…I think I'll get over her sooner or later, preferably sooner. Being bummed out about crushes and stuff kinda sucks."

"Then, I know how you feel."

"Oh, with Herc, right? I remember."

"Yes."

"What about you? Are you feeling a bit sad 'cause he's with her?"

"Actually," he said as he looked in their direction. "To my relief, I'm not at all bummed out or even jealous." He smiled. "And that actually makes me quite happy."

"Did you get a new crush or something?"

"You could say that…"

"That's great Kiku!" He poked him in the ribs with his elbow. "So who's the dude?" he asked in a whisper, a mischievous grin on his face.

"U-Uhm, actually, I still prefer to keep information like that private."

"Aww, okay. Anyway, you wanna play some volleyball?"

"In the water? Won't it be difficult?"

"It's played all the time at pool parties."

"Very well, I shall play."

"Good! I call dibs on you to be on my team, so whoever is the other captain can't claim you!"

He chuckled. "I wouldn't have it any other way, Alfred-san."

* * *

Matthew ended up being the other team captain and both sides had a considerable amount of players, though in the end, Alfred took the victory.

"Yesss!"

"C'mon, you had more tall people than I did!"

"Mattie, you had Ludwig and Ivan, okay? You can't use that excuse for your own incompetence."

"Okay everyone," Emily said as she stood next to the grill. "It's time to eat!"

The tables were soon filled with the guests who all had plates full with food. Alfred and Matthew were more excited for the cake since Francois was the one who made it this year. They absolutely loved her pastries, and she was more than happy to bake a cake for their birthday.

"Francis," she said to her son. "Will you check on the cake please? Make sure it isn't smashed by anything in the fridge. Oh, and get it prepared, yes? It's almost time for dessert."

"Of course, _maman._"

He got up and walked inside the house, making his way to the kitchen. Arthur walked down the stairs from the bathroom when he noticed him. Figuring nobody was around, he strolled into the kitchen nonchalantly.

"Do you know where the plastic cups are? We seem to have run out."

"This is not my house. Alfred and Matthew should know where they are." He put the cake box on the counter and opened it. "Oh good, it has no blemishes."

Arthur ignored his suggestion. "So, your mother made the cake this year?"

"Yes."

"Ah, I can't wait to try it. She always cooks deliciously." Francis didn't reply. "…did you help her make it?"

"It doesn't matter whether I helped or not. It's to be eaten, not to be saved in a glass case."

"Well I mean, you always did so fantastically well in home economics class and all our peers loved your cooking—"

"—except you, so I don't understand where you're going with this."

"W-Well, I just said that because I didn't want your ego to get inflated any more than it already was, but it's not like I _hated_ it."

"You could have fooled me, Arthur." He took the cake to the dining room and set it on the table. "Hmm, Alfred and Matthew will sit here so it should face this way."

"Francis—"

"_What_, Arthur?"

He withdrew a bit at the venom in his voice. Standing upright, his brows furrowed. "Why have you been ignoring me?"

"You can answer that yourself, I'm sure. You're not that stupid."

"If this is about what I said a few weeks ago—"

"Oh good, you answered your own question."

"_Look_, I said I wanted you to stop bothering me, not stop talking to me!"

"But you always did say I was a nuisance every time something came out of my mouth, whether it was vulgar or tame, did you not?"

The Briton sighed. "Francis, I just wanted you to stop being such prankster with Gilbert and Antonio—"

"Well you know what Arthur? That's what we do, and I'm sorry you don't like it, but that's how we bond and enjoy ourselves. Of course you wouldn't understand because you are so uptight and think you are better than everyone else, holding up your nose in the air."

"I don't think I'm better than other people!"

"That's the air you give off and if you want people to stop targeting you for pranks or tomfoolery, then you need to change your attitude and stop being such an ass!"

"I'm not always an ass! I can be a good-mannered person sometimes too you know! I'm getting tired of you thinking I'm too proud and stuck-up to properly maintain relationships with peop—" He paused, and then looked at Francis with realization.

"Ah, so it finally hit you in the face." He threw away the cardboard box. "Until you walk in somebody else's shoes, you really don't know how certain events affect them, do you Arthur?"

He walked back outside and joined his friends, leaving the other staring at the glass door. He groaned and held his head in his hands. "God…"

* * *

About fifteen minutes later, everyone went inside to have some cake. Alfred and Matthew gawked at it, impressed by how nicely crafted it was. The cake was shaped like a star with blue frosting, a white diagonal line going down the middle. The right side had red and white stripes on it, while the left side had exactly fifty little white stars.

"Franny!" Emily said. "This cake looks amazing!"

"It tastes even better ~" she replied. "It's chocolate flavored with a tangy tropical fruit filling between the two layers, my very own special recipe. But I can't take all the credit. My dear Francis helped me as well." He smiled proudly.

"Well what are we waiting for?!" exclaimed Alfred. His mother laughed and lit the candles.

Kiku watched as the twins beamed, looking at the cake, ready to blow out the candles when the song was finished. He felt happy for them, and smiled as he took their picture on the camera. He shot another when they finally blew, letting a giggle escape him as he looked at their puffed up faces. "This one I am definitely saving."

The cake was cut and slices were given to everyone, Alfred and Matthew getting the biggest pieces. Kiku went outside and sat in a chair since the temperature had cooled down a bit. He began to eat it when Olivia approached him. "Hey Kiku!"

"Olivia-chan, hello."

"This is a great party. I haven't been to one in a while. I'm always busy," she chuckled. She smiled when Dean and Gary joined her, Kiku greeting them shyly.

"What do you do, Olivia-chan? Uhm, if you don't mind me asking of course."

"I help my parents run a vineyard up north," she replied, eating some cake. "I brought Aunt Emily a few bottles of wine, so I hope she likes them. Have you ever been to one Kiku?"

"No, I don't believe I have."

"What about a ranch?" asked Dean.

"…no, I haven't been to one either."

"Well maybe sometime y'all can come on down to Texas and see my ranch!"

"You run it?"

"No, my pa does, but it's a lot of work, so I help a lot."

"So, it is a ranch, and not a farm?"

"Ranch, yes sir. Though no matter what a person manages, it's still a hell of a job. Alfred loves visitin' there. Have ya ridden a horse before?"

"I don't remember…"

"Dang Kiku, what _have_ ya done?"

"Uh…unfortunately, not much."

"Well then I'm definitely gonna talk to Aunt Emily about a visit. Ya need to try it!"

"If he doesn't feel up to it, he shouldn't be forced," Gary said.

"I ain't forcin' 'im! But it's a shame he hasn't tried ridin' a horse. Wonderful animals they are."

"Have you been to museums?"

"Of course, Gary-san."

"Maybe during the holiday season, Aunt Emily can bring you over to New York. I'll take you guys on a tour."

"Oh, I've always wanted to go there."

"You'll like it."

"What do you do, Gary-san?"

"I'm a lawyer hoping to be a district attorney," he chuckled.

"That is very impressive!" He looked at the three. "All of your livelihoods are impressive! Running a vineyard, owning a ranch, and a lawyer! Alfred-san didn't tell me that his family was so accomplished!"

They smiled at him. "Aww Kiku!" Olivia said. "The Jones family is known for their hard work and dedication! The only reason we got to where we are is because we didn't stop trying to reach our goals, no matter how hard it became."

"And trust me, it did become difficult along the way," Gary said.

"Mm hmm," Dean agreed. "What do ya wanna do Kiku? You're still in high school right?"

"Yes. Uh, I don't know… I wanted to be a doctor because my uncle wished it for everyone living in his household."

"But is that what _you_ wanna do? 'Cause if it ain't, then you're gonna pretty much hate your life. There's a difference between a career and a job. Choose wisely since you'll most likely be doin' it until your grave."

He looked at his lap and said, "Well, I get complimented a lot on my photography, and I enjoy drawing…"

"Then you can become a photographer for a magazine, like National Geographic," Gary said.

"Or," Olivia began. "You can do something with video games or animation. Kiku you're still very young, so think about what will make you happiest." She poked him in the chest. "A doctor makes a lot of money, but the grass isn't always greener on the other side."

"Did you all want the current careers you have?"

"Well, I did some modeling when I was little, like for clothing magazines, and I tried my hand at acting in Los Angeles, though I only got minor character parts or background ones," she admitted. "But when my parents took me to the countryside, I fell in love. I adore taking trips to places like the coast or the forests. That's when I was introduced to vineyards. I thought to myself, 'This, right here, is where I wanna spend the end of my days.' And that's where I am now!"

"How did you get it?"

"Oh, I inherited it from my late grandparents. I miss them but…" She sighed and smiled. "I promised I'd take care of it for them. And thankfully I'm managing it quite well, y'know, with my parents help ah ha."

"And you, Gary-san?"

"A lot of college and grad work. It was rough and I had to keep three jobs to pay for my schooling, but I managed. I lost sleep, but I've reached my dream, so I'm satisfied."

"And you continue shooting for an even higher goal?"

"Of course. Somebody's gotta uphold justice."

"What particular field do you work in?"

"Criminal law. I was going to do business initially, but then I changed my mind after learning about just how many types of unjust acts can be inflicted on a person."

Kiku tapped his fingers together. "Uhm, Gary-san, I have recently been studying criminals on my free time, but uhm, I hope you don't mind, I wanted to ask you some questions since you're an actual lawyer…"

"Have an interest in criminal justice? I can recommend some good colleges for that—"

"Uh, n-no it's…a personal interest."

"Oh, well that's fine too. Sure, you can ask me a few questions."

"Well it's more about the behavior of certain criminals…"

"Like which ones? That topic is very broad."

"Uh…pedophiles…" The three were silent, and though he was embarrassed, he said, "B-But before you say anything, my questions aren't going to be asked because something like that happened to me." He looked back to make sure he was alone with them. "It's about a friend of mine…"

"Are they here?" Gary asked, a bit concerned.

"Uh…y-yes, but I don't want to point him out to you because h-he will become very upset and I don't want to anger him…"

Olivia and Dean got up, patting Gary's back. "We're gonna go inside so you two can talk." When they left, Gary said to Kiku, "Does he want to do anything about it? How long ago did it happen?"

"Why?"

"Because in California, I believe the statute of limitations is a year for reporting that particular crime if the victim is under eighteen years of age, and if it expires, then they may never get justice."

"Really?"

"Yes. How much do you know, exactly?"

"Uhm, well…" He was careful to leave out any names and only give the important details of the crime. "…so, if it was done to a child, can they still be persecuted?"

"Well, it was already reported, and if what you've told me from your friend's story, the police are most likely still searching for the man. Until then, there's no further course of action to take. Ah ha, sorry, I'm not too familiar with California law, shamefully. Has he tried therapy?"

"No… He said he doesn't need it, but…ah! The zoo!"

"Zoo? Well, it's true animals are very therapeutic—"

"No, I mean—" He recounted the events of the field trip. "—and now I am certain that's what happened! He is still at large, isn't he?!" He narrowed his eyes, his fists clenched on his lap. "I have a photo and I can send it to the police! That will definitely help Manu—uh, my friend!"

Gary's eyes widened a bit, catching the first part of the name. "…Al's neighbor?"

He clutched his face in his hands. "Kiku you're so stupid!" he said to himself.

"I won't say anything since it's not my place, but if he doesn't want to do anything, you can't force him. It's troubling though… If that really was the man and he recognized him—"

"B-But can he, recognize my friend I mean?"

"Well…it happened when he was a child, so it'd be highly unlikely since the structure of a person's face becomes more defined as they age."

"So then there is a slight possibility…"

"Perhaps." He put his hand on Kiku's shoulder. "But if you think negatively, then you'll only be worrying yourself for no reason."

"In your experience, Gary-san, have these criminals ever been stalkers?"

"Kiku in my experience, I have seen everything and tried just about every type of case in criminal law, and the ones I haven't, I've heard from coworkers, so nothing will surprise me. And to answer your question, it's possible."

He groaned and Gary tried to save himself by saying, "B-But there are also at least three people for every person in the world who look similar. How do you think they get stunt doubles for movies?"

That still didn't help Kiku.

"Hey you two, glad you're talking so much, but Al and Matt are gonna open gifts!" Emily called from the door.

"Uh, I'm sorry if I worsened your worry Kiku," Gary apologized. The short young man shook his head and said, "No, I asked you questions and you simply answered honestly. But thank you Gary-san. I feel like I have learned more."

"You know, you remind me of a detective."

"I do?"

"Yes. Have you thought about becoming a police officer?"

"Actually, I haven't."

"Photographer, video game designer, detective—Kiku, you have a lot of options here, and potential for different careers. Think about it some more, okay? Come on, let's go inside."

* * *

Alfred and Matthew opened their presents excitedly, thanking everyone each time they finished revealing their gift. That took Kiku's mind off the serious matter earlier. He busied himself taking photos of them for Emily and blushed when the twins personally went to hug him for the gift he bought them.

"Oh, this is a good one!" Emily said as she looked through Kiku's camera. "I can't wait to print these out!"

"I try to take them as best as I can."

"Well they're really good!"

"Kiku!" Alfred shouted from the living room. "It's your turn!"

The Japanese teen walked to the couch and took the controller. "I'm guessing your winning streak is still going strong?"

"Yup! I am kicking ass in this game."

"We shall see about that." He selected a character on the game screen.

"Kirby? Really?"

"Just because he is pink and cute doesn't mean he isn't strong. Looks can be deceiving. You'd do well to remember that, Alfred-san."

"Bro, those are fightin' words!"

"Oh c'mon stop flirting and play already!" Gilbert said, a controller in his hand.

"Dude…"

Kiku blushed in response. Elizaveta slapped the German upside the head. "Shut your mouth. You haven't even selected anybody!"

"Okay I'm going woman!" he said. Rubbing his head, he selected another character.

"You can't be Link."

"Why the hell not Al?"

"Because I'm already Link!"

"There's different colors so who gives a flying fuck?!"

Huffing loudly, Elizaveta snatched the controller and selected a different character for him. "Start the game already Al!"

"Okay okay!" He selected a battlefield and began the game. The three of them readied themselves, but Gilbert growled.

"Why'd you give me Bowser? He's fucking slow!"

"Oh don't complain," she said as she looked at the screen, her fingers moving the controls. "You're not gonna last long anyway."

"We'll see about _that, _Princess Peach!"

"This frying pan will do just fine in kicking your ass."

Most of the friends watched them play, but some went outside to swim some more or hang out. It was a relatively calm evening and nobody had any plans in leaving. When the sky became darker around seven thirty, Emily took out the fireworks, hearing some explosions in the distance.

"Alright guys, pause whatever you're doing because it's time for fireworks! People are starting already!"

Everyone went outside and began unpacking the fireworks, the adults setting up chairs to watch them on the sidewalk. Other neighbors already started lighting theirs throughout the block.

Kiku watched as the first one went up into the sky and exploded into a willow of green and blue. He took pictures with his camera of the fireworks they set off and any he happened to catch of the neighbors'.

"Here Kiku," Alfred said.

"What is this stick for?"

"You light them up and they spark!"

"Is it dangerous?"

"Pfft, no, unless you intentionally point it at your body or someone else, but none of us are sadists so."

He giggled. "Okay, I shall try it."

Some people made patterns in the air with the sparklers, drawing out words or pictures. Antonio made a heart toward Lovino who blushed and scowled at him, even giving him the finger, earning a laugh from his boyfriend. He turned away in a huff, but he couldn't hide the smile that grew on his face as he walked over to Feliciano and Ludwig.

The Spaniard looked around for Manuel who he spotted talking with Logan and Peter.

"This has been a great day!" the Australian said. "I don't think I've ever had this much fun before. I'm glad I became friends with everyone! Well, even if Arthur is still a bit irritable."

"He's just stupid," Peter said, soliciting a laugh from Manuel. "Though, he's quieter lately. I dunno why."

"Hello!" Antonio greeted.

"Good evening mate!"

"Hello Antonio!"

Manuel ignored him by walking away with the excuse, "I'm gonna go get a cup of water, okay?"

"Alright," Logan said. "We'll be right here!" He noticed the Spaniard's sad disposition as he watched his friend walk away. "Everything okay, Antonio?"

"Y-Yeah!" he said with a smile. "Everything's fine…" _Ugh, he's avoiding me again, and just when I thought things were better…_ "Uh, hey, can you hold onto this?" He handed Logan the sparkler. "I'm gonna go get another one."

"But we're almost finished exhausting the firew—ah, he's gone."

"Alright, last one!" Emily said as she lit the biggest one. It had a picture of a dragon on it. When it soared into the sky, it made a loud screeching sound. Within seconds it exploded in a flurry of vibrant colors, everyone watching it in awe. Kiku made sure to get a very clear picture of it.

"This is the part I hate the most," Alfred said.

"What is?"

"The cleaning up. And it's not that I don't wanna clean. It's 'cause the day is almost over…"

"There's always next year."

"But that's another 365 days I gotta wait!"

He shook his head at the blonde, giving a short chuckle. The remainder of the hour was spent cleaning up and taking everything back inside. Emily sighed as she went into the kitchen to get a glass of water. She gave a smile leaning back on the counter, watching the teenagers in the living room cheer whoever was next in playing the game.

"What! Kiku you won?! Aww hell no!"

"Damn it! I was beaten by a fucking pink marshmallow!"

"Stop being such a sore loser Gil."

"Liz you came in second place so be quiet!"

Kiku tried not to let a smug grin dirty his features. "If the game was made in Japan, I have played it, and I play most of them well, especially multi-player universe mash ups, such as Brawl."

Alfred pouted. "Okay Gil, we need to let somebody else play… Rules are third and fourth place people have to switch out."

"This fucking sucks dick," he said as he handed the controller to Ludwig. "Take them both out West."

"I still have no idea why you call me that," responded the younger German, sitting on the couch next to Kiku.

"Because your room is on the west side of the house!"

"That's still an odd nickname…"

"Okay Lovi, let's see how you fare with this," Alfred said as he handed him the controller. The Italian sat on the couch, next to Elizaveta.

"I'm going to murder you potato bastard."

Ludwig gave a heavy sigh.

"Hey guys, watch out," Alfred said as he observed Kiku selecting Toon Link. "Every time he picks a cute character, Kiku wipes the floor with your tears."

"You're over exaggerating Alfred-san," he said, sounding a bit amused with a smile on his face. He simply pouted in response, watching from behind the couch.

* * *

Outside, Antonio found Manuel organizing the tables and chairs.

"What are you doing here by yourself?"

"Is it a crime to want to be alone?"

"No, I was just curious."

"Well I'm helping _señora_ Emily clean up the backyard. She looks tired from everything that happened today."

"Oh, that makes sense."

"'Course it does _pendejo._"

"Okay, tell me."

"Huh?"

"Why are you being harsh with me again?"

"You already know why."

"No I don't!"

"I forgave you and look what happened!" he nearly shrieked. He pointed an accusatory finger at him. "I fucking _told_ you that you'd go back to giving Lovino your undivided attention, and now you're together, as in a couple, as in smooching and banging! It's not funny anymore! Didn't I _tell_ you this was going to happen?! It _always_ happens! Every. Single. Fucking. _Time!_"

Antonio looked behind him to make sure the glass door was closed. "Why are you so mad?! I really like Lovino, okay?! And of course I was going to say 'yes' when he asked to be my boyfriend!"

"That's not the point!"

"Then what_ is_ Manuel, because every time we have this sort of conversation, you never make it clear what's bothering you!"

"Augh!" He threw his hands up in the air. Growing frustrated, he stacked the plastic chairs up in a tower. "Whatever, y'know!"

"No, it's not _whatever._ And don't shrug like it's no big deal! You're still okay with Lovino, but not me, and _that_ is what I don't fucking understand!"

"Look, you have him, so why do you insist on continuing to be friends with me?"

"Are you _seriously_ asking me that question? Really Manuel?! Really?!"

He looked like he was going to explode, but he shook his head, holding his hands up. "I, am not doing this right now. I'm not going to _talk_ about this right now. Nope." Antonio grew frustrated as he walked past him, heading for the door.

"Manuel, come _back_ here! We need to settle whatever the hell it is that keeps bothering you! You can't keep bottling it up!" But he was ignored as the door closed. He watched as the shorter of the two went up the stairs.

Shaking his head, he laughed in disbelief, a sour smile on his face. "_¡Eres imposible!_" he shouted at the sky. "Augh!" He sat down on a lawn chair, holding his head in his hands. "No matter how hard I try—!"

"'Tonio?"

He looked up and saw Lovino. "Oh, Lovi, ah ha, hey. Done with your game?"

"I got bored after I died...uh, a few times… Are you alright you big idiot?"

"Yeah, fine, 'course!"

"Then why did Manny walk inside looking like he was ready to murder somebody? What the hell did you do to him _this_ time?"

"Nothing!" he said as he shot up suddenly, throwing his hands in the air. "He is so stubborn and proud that he keeps building tougher and tougher layers of shell around him like some kind of insect! Or onion!"

"He's more like a crab. A hard exterior, but a soft interior."

"Well gee, I wish I got treated like you did."

Lovino sighed as Antonio mumbled to himself in Spanish, his brows furrowed. He calmed down when he felt his boyfriend slowly entwine his fingers with his right hand. He managed a smile at the Italian. "I'm sorry Lovi…"

"What are you apologizing to me for?"

"…can you talk to him, please? You have better luck with him than I do."

"I'll try, but if he ends up hating me again because of it, I'm gonna kick your ass. Quit laughing, I mean it."

"Okay, okay." He kissed him quickly on the lips. "_Gracias, mi amor._"

"Stop being such a moron…"

"Aww, you're blushing ~"

"NO. Don't START."

Manuel shook his head as he looked out the window from the second floor bathroom. "And he wonders why I act the way I do." He crossed his arms. "It's never going to change. He's still a fucking idiot." He flushed the toilet, pretending that he had used it. He sat down on the lid and stared at the floor. A heavy sigh escaped him, his visage becoming downcast. "But I'm the even bigger idiot for refusing to do anything about it… I denied it too long. Guess that's what I deserve for being a dick..."

* * *

Alfred got a soda from the fridge, still amazed that Kiku managed to stay in the game for so long. "Damn he's good," he said, drinking from the can. The doorbell rang. He set the beverage on the table and went to answer it. "I'll get it," he said to his mom. "I wonder who it is at this hour?"

He opened it and stared. "…can I help you?"

It was a tall man with dirty blonde hair and gray eyes. He had a disheveled appearance, and was wearing a long worn coat. "Is this the Jones residence?"

"…why?" he began slowly. "Who are you? A solicitor? A hobo?"

He simply smiled. "My, how you've grown."

Looking back and continuing to shift his glances in both directions, he said, "Uh, moooooommm?"

Emily walked over to him, Matthew following her as he had been talking about suggestions for next year's party. "Yes?" He pointed to the man, uncertainty on his face. The woman's heart sank when she looked at the stranger.

"Alfred, Matthew, go inside."

"But—"

"Go. Inside."

"Oh, come on now Emily, you're going to hide them from me after so long?"

"Mom, what's he talking about?" asked Matthew.

Alfred stared at him. "Who are you?"

"Let's talk inside, shall we?" he said as he began to step through the door, but Emily stopped him.

"Get. OUT!"

Her shouting diverted the guests' attention to the doorway.

"Now now Emily, don't want to cause a scene outside." He maneuvered his way into the entrance. "There, that's better."

"Mom?" the twins asked when their mother remained still with horror. "Mom…? Who is this?"

"Oh, don't tell me you've already forgotten boys. Really now."

They looked at him questioningly.

"I'm your father, Louis."

The ruckus in the room began to still, the game put on pause. A very awkward and uncomfortable silence followed.

"…what?" Alfred began slowly. "You're…" He was quiet for two minutes until his anger flared up. "YOU'RE the loser who left mom?!"

"Now, is that any way to talk to your dad—"

"You're NOT our dad!" Matthew exclaimed. "We've never had one!"

"Why are you so upset?"

"WHY?!" Alfred was seething with rage. "You leave mom when we were only a year old, and let her raise us by herself?! Do you know how much she had to endure because you were an inconsiderate and irresponsible prick?!"

"Emily, you raised them to talk so foully—"

"She raised us just FINE! In fact, she's the best parent in the whole damn universe! You have no right to speak about her like that or to even be here!"

"I came to see you on your birthday. You're both eighteen now, a big milestone."

Matthew was astounded. "We're _seventeen!_"

"Oops, off by one year. Ha, I must be getting old."

"Oh my _God!_" Alfred shook his head in disbelief. "You…you! You need to get out of our house, now!" He glanced at his mom who was still speechless, the fright never leaving her face. This was not happening. Not now, not on such a perfect day.

Louis looked at the guests who were staring. He made a face. "Mm, you made friends with foreigners. I hope they're legal in this country."

Wow. "You did not just—" Matthew couldn't finish his sentence out of pure amazement.

"What do you have here? Some Europeans? Latins? Oh, Asians too, and two Middle Easterners. I'm surprised you don't have—wait, yes, there's a black person there."

"She's not 'a black person' and don't refer to them like that! They have names!" Alfred said.

He dismissed his last exclamation. "Just for the record boys, I didn't leave your mom. She left me."

"And I can see _why!_ You're just like the ignorant guys at my school! Get out of our HOUSE!" His voice was escalating.

"No, I don't think I will," he said with a dark smile. "Not until I've learned how you boys are doing. You grew up to be fine looking young men, haven't you?"

He heard somebody come down the stairs. He looked up, and his smile turned into a grin. "Well, what a coincidence. I didn't expect to see you here."

Manuel looked at him with confusion, but when he stared long enough, his breath hitched. His skin started to pale as he stared at him, his eyes widening. Kiku looked at the man and back at Manuel. _This is…!_ His mouth was open in shock.

"…y-you…y-you're…" the Mexican began slowly.

"That's right, the man from the zoo. You have a good memory."

"N-No…no…no no no no no no."

"Oh, so you remember. This is the third time we meet, Manuel. You still haven't found that marble under the leaves, have you?"

Alfred looked at his friend. "Manny…what's…?"

Antonio and Lovino walked in, feeling the heavy weight of silence in the room. The stranger ignored their entrance as he continued to grin at Manuel. The Spaniard looked at his friend on the staircase, noticing the tremble in his hand as he gripped the railing.

"You're…you're…YOU'RE!" he began. He laughed out of fright. "How did you even…no, no this is not happening…! It's _not!_"

That was when Antonio realized what was going on. He looked more closely at the man, his eyes suddenly filled with rage, the memory returning to him. "_YOU!_"

"Ah, you must be the other boy I saw that first day."

Manuel's voice cracked. "You're the one! You're the one who—!"

"—molested you as a child? Wow, your memory _is_ very good, even after all these years. Who would have thought you'd be the friend of my two boys?"

Alfred, Matthew, and Emily were crushed by a wave of devastation, genuine horror on their faces. Everyone else was in a state of paralysis.

"You've grown so much in those years lost. When I saw you at the zoo, I knew something was familiar. And that's when I saw your eyes. They were just like that day. So big, so innocent, _so filled with fear._ And it was simply a matter of following your bus to the neighborhood where you lived. Clever, aren't I?" He chuckled. "Your body is definitely more mature. You've become quite an attractive young man. I wonder what it'd be like to mess with you again, squirming underneath with your eyes tightly shut in pain, crying and pleading for it to stop?"

Manuel wouldn't stop trembling. His eyes began to water up. He clenched his head, trying to get the memory out. "No no no..." He cautiously began to step backward, finally fleeing upstairs, slamming the closet door shut, the only place he could think of at that instant. He held the sides of his head in his hands, crying in the darkness of the small space, wishing the recollection would just leave him alone.

Antonio snapped. He lunged at Louis, Francis and Gilbert jumping to hold him back, using all their strength to restrain him. "_¡TE VOY A MATAR DESGRACIADO!_"

The smile never left his face. "I don't speak Spanish. You're out of luck."

"LET ME GO!"

"Antonio calm down!"

"Toni! Don't be an idiot!"

"I'M GOING TO KILL HIM! _KILL HIM!_"

"Are you?" he asked, aggravating the other.

"YOU WRETCHED SON OF A BITCH!"

Lovino couldn't help but be slightly frightened. He had never seen Antonio so enraged before, the wrath in his eyes burning like hellfire.

"There's no reason to get so upset. I just came back to check on what's mine."

"YOURS?!"

"But of course. Manuel's innocence was taken by me, and thus, his body will always be mine, no matter what happens."

"I WILL MURDER YOU!" He forced himself out of Francis and Gilbert's grasp, only to be stopped by Ludwig and Aksel. "_¡SUELTA ME! ¡SUEL-TA-ME! DAMN IT, I SAID LET ME GO!_"

"Toni!" Aksel said, trying to restrict him. "You don't know what this guy is capable of doing!"

"Listen to him Antonio!" Ludwig added. "You need to calm down—"

"CALM DOWN?!"

Alfred looked at the man who called himself his father. "You're fucking sick. You are…you are _evil!_ Manny was seven years old! He was so little and you do such a horrible thing like that to him! What the FUCK is wrong with you?!"

"Oh, it's not like he was the first. But he's definitely one of the lucky…survivors. If that Spanish boy over there hadn't caught me, well, your friend might not be here today."

That sent a chill down the blonde's spine. "…you're a murderer too… No, this isn't happening. This is not…not happening…! My father…my father is…"

Antonio struggled to free himself from his restraints. When he broke through them, he rushed up the stairs. He looked for Manuel in all the rooms until he finally came to the hallway closet at the end. He knocked. "Manny," he said desperately. "Please, let me in—" He tried to turn the knob but it wouldn't budge.

He heard him crying through the door. It was breaking his heart the longer he stood there. He fished through the pocket of his swimming trunks and took out his cell phone. _I wasn't able to help you back then Manuel_, he said as he began to dial. _But now? Now I can do something. I'm going to right my wrongs._

* * *

Downstairs, Louis continued to taunt Alfred. He was absolutely livid. "I won't tell you again. Get. The fuck. OUT!"

"Sure." He looked at Kiku, the eye contact making the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. "If you tell me who that adorable little Asian is—" A fist connected with his face. Alfred grabbed him by the collar of his coat and slammed his back against the wall.

"You piece of SHIT! Do you even fucking _know_ the kind of trauma you caused my friend?! He tried so _hard_ to forget it ever happened and you come looking for him to torture him even further?!"

"It's not my fault. He shouldn't have been trying to seduce me."

Another blow to his head. He was bleeding from his mouth, but still continued to smile at his son. Alfred's fists were trembling, his eyes wide with rage. The door busted open.

"Police!"

"Son, step away from the suspect!"

Guns were pointed at Louis who did nothing to try and escape. He was still smiling. Alfred let go, the police officers slamming Louis face first against the wall, handcuffing him. The officer searched him, taking out a gun.

"Did you think you could escape us forever, huh?" he said him. "Oh, look what we have here. Planning to go trigger happy Louie?"

"Louis D. Williams," the female officer said. "You're under arrest for the kidnappings, rapes, and murders of Mary Porter, James Huang, Eric Brouwer—" Alfred was in shock at all the names she continued to list. "—stalking in the first degree, and the rapes of survivors, Tomiko Yamamoto, Nicolai Reshetnikov, Aiden Drake, Carlotta Bertolino, Gabir Kanaan, and Manuel Sanchez. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney—"

He was forced into the car and the officer slammed the door shut. She walked back to the house, the other patrol cars waiting outside.

"Ma'am," the male officer asked softly. Emily looked up at him. "Are you all right? Is anybody hurt?"

"N…N-No…"

The female officer walked into the living room. "We ask that nobody leave until we get all of your statements. This may take a while, so please bear with us."

Alfred was approached by the man. "Are you okay?"

"…yeah." He rubbed his knuckles.

"He could've used that gun."

"…I wasn't thinking. I just…wanted him out of my house…" He looked up at him. "How did you know he was here?"

"We got a call from a cell phone minutes ago and got here as fast as we could. Apologies for the door, but we couldn't take our chances with this guy."

"…we'll fix it and just get a new one later. It's fine…"

"Were you the one who called?"

"No…"

* * *

"Manny," Antonio said softly, sitting outside the door. "Please let me inside…"

He said nothing.

"He's gone. _La policia_ have him in custody. Please…please can I come in…? _¿Porfavor?_" There was no response. "Please Manny…let me help you…let me help you this time..."

Manuel sat against the door, holding on to the knob tightly, trying to stifle his sobs. Antonio tried to open it a second time. "Manny…please? It's over now. You don't have to worry anymore. Please let me come in..." He slid down to sit again, waiting next to the door.

There was a pause until he spoke through the inch of wood. "…he was Alfred's father…my best friend's...this entire time…and I didn't…"

"Nobody knew. Nobody could have possibly known that."

"…why did it take this long to catch him?"

"I don't know… But he's going to go away for a long, long time. He can't torment you anymore, or anyone else."

"…how many…"

"How many what?"

"…how many more children…?"

"…I don't know. But the officers are downstairs, and they probably want to speak with you."

"I can't go down there."

"Why?"

He sobbed some more. "I can't…I can't…I can't do it…" He shook his head slowly. "I'm such a weakling. I pretend that everything's okay, that I can do just fine on my own and defend myself but I'm just… No, I don't want to see his face again, I don't, I don't, I don't…"

"It's fine to cry, _especially_ about something like this. And you are _not_ a weakling. You were only _seven_, a little boy, Manny. Please don't blame yourself… He's not going to get away this time, okay? The judge will make sure of that."

"Judge? You mean I have to look at him all over again, tell everybody in the court the horrendous thing he did to me? I won't, I can't…" His mother was right. He should have faced it a long time ago.

"Yes, you _can. _You have to. You won't be alone. I'll be there for you, and I won't ever leave you again Manny."

To his surprise, the door opened just enough for Antonio to see Manuel's face. Oh, the wounded expression he wore. His face was flushed from crying and his cheeks stained with tears. He had never seen him cry, not ever since that horrible day nine years ago. Antonio's heart wouldn't stop bleeding. Manuel looked at the ground, taking a long pause.

"…you promise?" he asked softly, his voice breaking.

"I promise."

When he began to cry again, Antonio opened the door some more, embracing him tightly. Manuel gave a heavy sob into his chest, clutching his back with his hands. _I won't abandon you ever again, _he thought._ If only you knew…how much I cared… If only you would just let me…_ _Why?_ He buried his face into his hair and mouthed, _Why won't you let me love you?_ but he knew he couldn't feel it.

Their comfortable silence was broken in an instant as they heard footsteps coming closer to them. The female officer smiled at them. "Are you Antonio?"

Embarrassed, Manuel quickly let him go, looking elsewhere, wiping his face and attempting to compose himself. Antonio looked at the woman. "…yes."

"Were you the one who called to tell us about the emergency?"

"…yes, _señora._"

"Thank you. You've done us a huge favor. We've been trying to catch him for years, but he's been elusive and we couldn't figure out his pattern until recently. You helped save a lot of children in danger."

"…I just wanted him caught. He couldn't get away with what he did to those kids."

"Are you Manuel?" she asked the other.

"_Si_, _señora._"

"Can you come downstairs please? We need you to tell us what happened."

"Oh…" He looked at her closely. "You're the woman, the one who—"

She smiled. "Yes, I'm the same officer who responded the first time when you were little."

"But…but it's been years. Why—"

"We never dropped your case, or the cases similar to yours. It's been open all this time, and finally, it looks like it'll be coming to a close. Can you talk to me please?"

He stood up and followed her out the door. "Come on," she said, putting her hand on his back reassuringly. Antonio leaned back against the wall of the closet, releasing a sigh. "Maybe now…he'll finally begin to move on."

* * *

Like the officers had said, it took a while to get all the statements. "I'm sorry I had you retell the event," the female officer said to Manuel. "I know you must hate the recollection, but it's very important that we get it. You will have to testify during the trial."

"…so I do have to tell it all over again… Why can't you just sentence him? I mean, you already know all the horrible things he did to me."

"Even though he's a vile person, he still guaranteed a trial, just like everybody else in this country. A few other teenagers will be on the stand as well."

He looked at her with a bit of surprise.

"You're not the only one who survived, Manuel, and you're definitely not alone." She smiled.

"…why me?" he asked quietly.

"A lot of victims ask that, and…most of the time, there is no definite answer. It's the criminal's motive. In this case," she gave a quick sigh. "he had been targeting children from immigrant families, unbiased of their origin, so long as they weren't American-born."

"…what?"

"Your family is from Mexico. Another one was from Japan. Then there were children from families that originated in the British Aisles, Central Europe, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Central and South America, eastern and southern Asia, and even Africa. All his victims were children from immigrant families. He managed to kill most of them to silence them, but for one reason or another, you, along with a few others, were spared from death."

"But why us?"

"Until we interrogate him, we won't know his true motive."

Manuel looked at the floor. The woman patted his shoulder. "You're almost done. Once the trial is over, you won't ever have to see him again."

"…"

"The evidence we have and the deceased victims, along with the ones alive, all of that will give him the needle. He's going to pay for what he did to you and the other kids."

"Thank you…"

"…?"

"For doing what you do, your job I mean."

She smiled again. "Somebody has to defend those who can't defend themselves. The favorite part of my job is seeing the dirt bags get their punishment, and the victims get their justice."

Alfred watched as Antonio sat beside Manuel, telling him something that made him smile slightly, but he couldn't hear what it was. Maria hugged her son, Jose doing the same thing to Antonio, thanking him for calling the authorities.

"—fred?"

He blinked, and looked at Emily. "Huh?"

"Did you hear that?"

"…I'm sorry, I was spaced out."

The male officer repeated. "You, your brother, and your mother will be witnesses in the trial, possibly for both sides."

"…oh, okay."

The guests had left after the police did, saying sorrowful and sympathetic goodbyes to the Jones family. Nobody spoke of it on the way out until they were already driving in their car. Some didn't even want to bring it up at all. Alfred's cousins said they'd come visit again when things were sorted out.

Maria and her family were the last to leave. Emily was about to apologize when the Hispanic woman held up her hand. "I know what you're going to say, and don't say it. This is not your fault Emily."

"But he—"

"—is not your husband. He is _basura_ and we didn't even know each other when our sons were a year old. Please, do not blame yourself."

"But…b-but Manuel—"

"—will survive. After everything…he finally agreed to get some…well, professional help. He will get better." She held both her hands in hers. "_No llores mas, Emily. ¿Porfavor…?_"

She gave a sniff and nodded.

As the Sanchez family walked out, Alfred tried to speak to Manuel, but he couldn't get any words out of his mouth. The other didn't even glance at him and continued out the door, Antonio next to him. He looked back at Alfred with a sad smile and left.

The house was left alone to the Jones family. Emily sat on the couch, her head in her hands. Matthew sat down next to her. "…are you okay mom?"

"I should be asking you that question."

"…I've been better."

"Boys, I'm sorry I didn't tell you about your father, but I did leave him for a good reason. Call me paranoid but…ha, when I noticed he was giving more attention to other children than his own, that's when I became worried. I guess I did the right thing at the time…" She gave a barely audible laugh. "I watch too many crime shows. But I think if I didn't, I probably would have never left…"

Matthew rubbed her back, holding her hand tightly. Kiku appeared in front of them, a tray of tea in his hands. "Uhm…Jones-san…I cannot even fathom how hard this is for your family, but…I am willing to listen to everything you have to say. Tea usually helps so…" He set the tray down and poured the hot beverage into three small cups. "Please."

She smiled at him, taking a cup and handing it to Matthew. She took another in her hands. "Kiku, you're such a sweetheart."

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

"No, but don't you worry. We'll get through this. You'll see." She smiled at him, the vigor slowly returning to her demeanor.

_Jones-san is so admirable. Even in the darkest of times, she remains optimistic, believing that everything will turn out just fine._ He smiled. "Yes, you will. I will be here for support and assistance the entire way."

She drank some of the tea. "Thank you. You make really good tea Kiku." Emily looked at Alfred. "…are you okay Al? You haven't said anything since the police left."

He merely stared at the floor.

"Al?"

"…yeah, I'm fine." He headed up the stairs. "I'm gonna go to bed. I'm tired. Good night."

"Alfred—"

He walked up the staircase without looking back. Emily was about to follow him, but Kiku said, "Please Jones-san, do not fret. I will speak with Alfred-san."

"…okay."

As he headed up the staircase, he wondered how he should approach the topic. His stomach began to hurt the closer he got to the door. He gathered up all his courage, and knocked. "Alfred-san? May I come in?"

There was no answer.

"…I will come in then."

The room was dark as he closed the door behind him. Only the moonlight that filtered through the curtain illuminated the few areas of the room that could be reached by the beams. Alfred was sitting on the floor against the bed, mindlessly fiddling with his glasses in his hands as he looked down.

Kiku sat across from him. "Alfred-san?"

"To think that I used to want to know what kind of man my father was and maybe understand why he wasn't in our lives." He gave a bitter laugh. "I would have rather been kept in the dark about it now."

"…"

"…I asked him why he had a gun when they took him away. Do you know what he told me?"

The other shook his head.

"…he said, 'If the police hadn't come when they did, we were gonna have a game of Russian Roulette. Everyone was going to play, you and Matthew being the first to join in the fun, since it is your birthdays after all.' and I just…couldn't say anything. I didn't know _what_ to say." He smiled. "I watched my mom struggle to give Matthew and me a good life. She cried a lot in the beginning. I kept it to myself though. Then grandpa, the only man to have ever been in my life, gets cancer, and the chances are narrow of him even surviving it… And just when I thought it couldn't get any worse, I find out one of my closest friends was tortured as a kid… The best part was that it was by my own father…" He laughed again, forcing it out.

"Alfred-san…"

"…and now I wonder, what went wrong? Is he just a sociopath? A psycho? A demented person? Was it something that mom did? Was it something Matthew and I did?"

"No, Alfred-san, you and your family have done nothing wrong. Please, don't think like that."

"But he's just…such a horrible person. And his blood runs in my veins. What does that mean for me? Will I stray from the path of justice that I always enjoyed following? Heroes can fall Kiku…and I'm…"

"No! Stop thinking like that! What you're saying is nonsense! Listen to me Alfred-san! You're _not_ like your father, not even in the slightest! Blood has nothing to do with it! This is not like some kind of disease that can be inherited!"

"But what if he was born like that? What if he was just wired wrong? Will that eventually happen to me too? What if something triggers it? What if…what if I—"

He was slapped across the face. He looked at Kiku with shock, his hand still raised from the action. He looked at Alfred sternly, gripping his shoulders fiercely.

"You are a great person! You have a good sense of right and wrong and you embrace people regardless of their insecurities or any flaws you notice! You love everyone you've come to know and you wouldn't hesitate to defend them if they were ever threatened! You're fun, optimistic, thoughtful, and very courageous! You took me in after I was thrown out of my own house! You include everybody in activities so we may all enjoy it and share fond memories with each other! You're funny and charismatic and, and a genuine person! You have the biggest heart I've ever seen so do not ever think for even a _second_ you will turn into a monstrosity like your father! You are truly a heroic man! Blood means nothing!"

Alfred looked at him. "…then why…" he began, his voice wavering. His eyes glossed, his lower lip quivering a bit. Tears slowly rolled down his cheeks. "…why doesn't he love me Kiku?"

It had happened. The one face Kiku never wanted to see on Alfred. It was full of pure sadness and hurt. His heart broke when Alfred began to cry. He looked so defenseless, so vulnerable, so small. It's as if all the vigor and heroism that Kiku loved was sucked right out of his soul. He realized he was one of those people, the kind who hid behind a smile, making everyone think he was fine when in reality, he was anything but.

Kiku hugged him tightly with all of his strength, ignoring how small he was in comparison to the other. Alfred grasped his back with his hands, crying into his shoulder, his fingers gripping the fabric on his shirt. His sobbing was unbearable. He couldn't help but cry with him, the tears steadily dripping down Kiku's cheeks.

His hero, the one he had come to adore with every inch of his heart, was reduced to a melancholic mess. He had to support him. He had to be there for him and his family. He had to always be at his side, ready to assist and defend when the time arose. He had to be, because Kiku had never loved anyone as much as he loved Alfred. _You will always be my hero Alfred-san_, he thought as he tightened the hold around his back, the other hand behind his head, his fingers tangled in his blonde locks. _You're the greatest person I've ever known. You don't even see how important you are to everyone, especially me. I can't help but cry for you. If I could take your pain away, I would, and I'd endure it all on my own for a thousand lifetimes. Because I love you so very much. I didn't think I could love anyone as deeply as I love you._

He suddenly felt like his uncle's treatment was nothing. At least his uncle still gave a damn. At least he was slowly learning to accept it. At least he still had all his friends who loved him and watched out for him. He had wondered what would be worse than being thrown out, worse than being ignored by one person because of his life choices, worse than having both parents dead. Well, he might have found it.

Kiku would rather have all of that than a living villainous father who never once loved him.

* * *

A/N: I can edit this chapter as many times as I please and I still won't like it. I've had to rewrite it like seven times because there were things that really bugged me about it, but...gah. Like, Manuel's reactions to all of it, since every victim of this crime reacts a different way, and I just tried to make it seem realistic without taking away from his established character? And Antonio's was another I was concerned about since he's usually a cheerful happy-go-lucky kind of guy, but I have seen him get scary in certain fics... Guh, did I do okay? I hope so... I am pretty sure this is the longest chapter by far, but you can see why. I'm not a Criminal Justice major so I had to look up stuff online but that didn't really help so...if I got something wrong, please correct me in a review so I can hurry and fix it before anybody else notices! I don't have much else to say except that this was the biggest plot point in the first half of the story, so now we're moving on to the second half. Poor Alfred. Now it's Kiku's turn to support him. :(

This whole chapter reminds me of a review I got for an earlier one, I think it was the camping chapter, about how it reminded them of Law & Order: SVU. The funny thing is that I hadn't even heard of that show before, and then just last year around October or November I started watching it on Hulu and got addicted. Lol Crime dramas really hook you in sometimes...

I dunno when I'll next update since finals are at the end of the month. I will spend my birthday preparing for them. *cries* So I'll probably update in June then. Now if you'll excuse me, I am extremely behind on my sketchbook for art class so I will attempt to finish all the missed entries in two days. (That's a lie. I'll probably just end up reading FrUK fanfics until bed time because I'm the biggest procrastinator in the entire universe...) See you next chapter!

Translations:

_¡Eres imposible! = _You're impossible!  
_Gracias, mi amor._ = Thanks, my love.  
_¡TE VOY A MATAR DESGRACIADO!_ = I'M GOING TO KILL YOU, YOU WRETCH!  
_¡SUELTA ME!_ = LET ME GO!  
_La policia_ = The police  
_basura_ = trash  
_No llores mas, Emily. ¿Porfavor…?_ = Don't cry anymore, Emily. Please?

If I missed an accent mark somewhere, please let me know.


	17. Gradation

Chapter 17: Gradation

Kiku's eyelids twitched as he began the slow transition of awakening. The pillow he was cuddled against was rather warm, but the sunlight seeping through the shades of the window was bothering him. How odd though, the pillow was harder than he remembered, and it smelled faintly of chlorine. _That is absurd. I didn't throw my pillow into the pool…_ he thought as he slowly opened his eyes in a squint.

They turned to saucers in an instant when he was face-to-face with a slumbering Alfred. Frozen, all Kiku could do was stare wide-eyed at the blonde. His face began to overheat when realization struck him, the realization that Alfred had indeed cuddled his Japanese friend like a teddy bear, possibly the entire night.

His arms were securely wrapped around his torso, with a leg slung over both of Kiku's. He was pressed up against his chest, his head tucked underneath the American's chin. He swallowed hard, not entirely sure how to escape from his embrace. He felt himself begin to sweat, cursing under his breath. He was starting to feel light-headed.

_This is so ridiculous. Why does Alfred-san always make me feel this way…?_ Oh, that's right. Kiku was in love with him. _Augh, curses. This is quite a predicament I've gotten myself into…but…_ He thought about the events that transpired the night prior. _…I can live with this, with Alfred-san holding me for comfort if he needs to, anything so I don't have to see such a sorrowful expression on him ever again…_

He remembered the once bright blue eyes that paled that night, pouring out tears of sorrow over such a devastating realization. The realization of the family's skeleton in the closet, his criminal father, Louis. He was the bastard who ruined his night, and even perhaps his life, on one of the most important days of Alfred's existence. Kiku hated him. He hated him because he made Alfred cry, cry so hard and for so long until his eyes dried up like a drought would a valley in an unforgiving summer season. He could still hear his sobbing, the heavy sobs, the wavering sobs, as he cried continuously for about a full hour into Kiku's shoulder, dampening the sleeve of his shirt. He really disliked that sob. He hoped he would never have to hear that sound escape his lips ever again.

Though he didn't understand how that led to them both falling asleep in this position on the bed, as the last thing Kiku could remember was the two of them sitting on the floor. He closed his eyes as he continued to lay there, his ear against Alfred's chest. _Ba-dump. Ba-dump._ His heartbeat was steady as he slept. It was one of the most soothing sounds to Kiku. He loved Alfred's heart. He imagined it golden like the sun, warming everyone with its beams.

But it also pained Kiku. It pained him, because he knew that Alfred's heart would never be his, and he was arrogant to think that maybe one day, he would return the affections. He wanted it so badly, wanting nothing more than to see that sunny grin on his friend's face as he said, "I love you Kiku!"

He closed his eyes as he began to drown in his scent, his warmth, his embrace. He felt a lump in his throat, tears threatening to start up again. Because he knew that no matter how hard he tried to reach for the sun, all he would grasp is air, its vibrant light and warm beams only taunting him throughout the entire endeavor.

_Kiku you're so stupid…_ he told himself. He knew what was best for Alfred, and what that was didn't include being in a romantic relationship with him. He needed to help him cope with the knowledge of his father's villainy, the knowledge of being friends with Manuel, one of the few people able to survive the horrendous man's demons, the knowledge that he was related to such a despicable person. Yes, that's what was best for Alfred, and…perhaps even encourage him to pursue another girl now that Navah was no longer in the picture.

He wished this were a different reality, one that didn't cause Alfred so much pain, and one where his love would be requited.

"I love you…so much…," he mumbled into the fabric of his shirt, a bead of a tear forcing its way out from underneath his eyelashes, tumbling down his cheek. "…Alfred-san."

"Mmphm…"

Kiku's eyes shot open as the blonde began to stir. His heart was beating fast. _…did he hear? Oh me and my stupid mouth._ _I really hope he didn't…_ Gently he tried to remove himself, but Alfred was strong, and his hold was like that of a crab's. _Why does he have to be so built…? I cannot remove myself from here… This is frustrating._

He placed both his hands on his chest, pushing against him to tear himself away from his arms, but it was to no avail. He puffed his cheeks out in irritation until he heard his saving grace, the sound of the alarm on the digital clock begin to beep.

Alfred scrunched his eyes, hating to be awoken by such an annoying sound. He lazily shifted his hand over to the clock, feeling for it on the bedside table, slamming his palm on the button to turn it off. Kiku took this chance to make a run for it, but Alfred was quicker, not liking to have his teddy bear taken from him.

_My face will melt off my skull if I stay here like this. I must wake him up._ "Alfred-san…Alfred-san…" He poked him in the cheek. "Please wake up. It is morning."

"…jus…jus five more minus…" he slurred.

"Please wake up now. I must use the bathroom and I cannot move from here." _…as much as I like cuddling with you_, he thought to himself.

The blonde found it strange that his teddy bear was talking to him. "…huh-wha?" His eyes opened slowly. He blinked, rubbing them with a hand. The first thing he saw was the ceiling, but turned his attention down to his left when he felt a weight against him. He was met with a blushing Kiku staring back at him.

"Kiku?"

"G-G-Good morning, Alfred-san. Will you please release me now?"

"Uh…oh, crap." He sat up immediately, letting him go. "Wh-What was I doing?"

"You were cuddling me like a stuffed animal. I'm assuming for the entire night, though I can't even remember how we got here."

"Ah ha… I'm sorry Kiku… You're just…so small and you fit in my arms…"

"Uhm…"

There was silence. Kiku watched as Alfred stared down at the bed sheets in deep thought. He assumed he was recollecting last night's events, if his frown was any indication.

"Alfred-san—"

"I'm okay."

"…"

"…honestly."

"Excuse me for disagreeing, but what happened yesterday isn't something you can be okay with overnight."

"…I just don't wanna think about it too hard right now…"

"I know…but…you still don't look okay."

"…what looks okay to you?"

"A genuine smile with a face beaming like a sun's ray of light. That's what looks normal to me on your face, Alfred-san."

"I'm sorry…"

"Why are you apologizing? You did nothing wrong."

"…I just can't right now… I'm sorry…"

"I know you can't, and that's why I knew you were lying when you said you were fine. I worry about you Alfred-san. You're my best friend, in fact, perhaps the only best friend I've ever had in my entire life, so I will not excuse myself from caring immensely about your well-being, in all variations of the word."

"Hmm," he chuckled. He looked at Kiku, a smile beginning to appear on his lips. "I'm glad you're my best friend. Thank you."

"That is nothing to thank me for."

"Yeah it is. No matter how much I cried and sobbed, you never left me, or told me to calm down. You just stood there, letting me cry on your shoulder for as long as I wanted without even complaining about it. I know it's sorta silly, but that actually meant a lot to me."

His blush began to return. "Y-You're welcome. But perhaps next time, uhm, do not cuddle me like a teddy bear, please?"

"Oh…shit… Uh, ah ha, well I can't promise that but I'll promise to at least try! I couldn't help it. I'm sorry Kiku…"

"…you don't need to apologize for that either. I didn't mind it much… You were a comfort." He looked down, tracing a finger along the creases of the comforter. "…I felt wanted…and I felt protected…" He looked up at him. "You always make me feel that way when I'm around you."

"Uh…" Alfred scratched the back of his head, looking away. "Uhm…ah ha, w-well good! I'd like to think I make people feel wanted and protected!" His cheeks were a bit pink as he looked at Kiku who made an effort to avoid eye contact, his gaze still adverted on the comforter as his face burned with a blush.

"…it is 7am. I will go start breakfast." Kiku got off the bed. "What would you like Alfred-san?"

"…a-anything is fine."

He nodded, and then left the room.

The American decided now was a good time for a shower.

* * *

His body relaxed as the cold water cascaded onto his face, slipping to his shoulders, dripping down every muscle and limb. Alfred gave a heavy sigh, running a hand through his wet hair. Images of last night haunted his mind: his mother's and Matthew's horrified faces, Manuel's traumatized reaction as he fled for dear life up the flight of stairs, Antonio's burning rage and murderous intent, shock over all of his friends' faces, the police's intrusion with guns at the ready, his father's sinister grin and soulless eyes.

"Why did this have to happen to me…?"

He grabbed the bottle of shampoo and began to wash his hair, massaging his head in the process. He saw Kiku as he closed his eyes, holding him tightly as he cried into his shoulder. He could still feel his strong grip on him, one arm coiled tightly around his back, the other with a hand tangled in his golden hair.

It was faint, but he remembered seeing tears roll down Kiku's face as he continued to comfort him, saying words that Alfred couldn't quite remember. Something about everything was going to be alright, that he would never leave him, that it was his turn to protect him, that no matter what happened he would always be by his side.

"Kiku…"

Alfred returned to his room and dressed himself. He smelled a delicious waft from the kitchen, and he descended the stairs, a bit excited to finally eat. Consuming his favorite meals or snacks always made him feel better, even if Matthew did tell him eating away your worries doesn't do you any good in the long run. He sat down at the dining room table, watching Kiku busy himself in front of the stove.

He wore the white apron he always did, one that Feliciano gave him for his birthday this past year. Alfred thought he looked cute in it, watching his hands gracefully prepare all their meals, making sure all the food on their plates were neat and tidy.

Kiku looked at him and smiled, Alfred giving a blink and then clearing his throat, an opaque hue of rose on his cheeks. He walked over to him with a plate of breakfast. It was an omelet filled with mushrooms, cheese, spinach, and tomatoes, with a side of pancakes, and two pieces of buttered toast on a smaller plate to the side.

"Would you like milk or some other beverage, Alfred-san?"

"Uh…orange juice is fine…thanks."

He returned with a glass and set it down next to him. "I hope you enjoy your meal."

"I always do Kiku. Your food is delicious. Uhm, are you gonna eat with me?"

"I will shower first, but I am rather quick at that, so I shall join you shortly."

"Okay."

He watched him disappear into the living room, hearing his footsteps going up to the second floor. Alfred ate his breakfast absentmindedly, thinking about nothing but that particular moment in time, the one of last night where Kiku cried with him, trying his best to comfort him, swearing on his parents' graves that he'd never leave Alfred and would support him in everything he did.

Well maybe he was exaggerating as he couldn't remember the exact words, as swearing on a deceased person's grave was a bit too much. Alfred didn't know if he deserved that kind of loyalty from anyone.

"Maybe I should go out today… I don't feel like staying at home…" he said to himself, poking his food. "I wanna talk to Manny but…" He looked at his cell phone, contemplating on whether or not to text his friend. "…maybe I should wait a while."

Alfred had eaten half of his food by the time Kiku returned downstairs. "Would you like some more, Alfred-san?" he asked politely.

"No, I'm good, thanks Kiku."

The Japanese teen sat down next to him. They both ate in silence, the only noise being the scratching of the knives on the porcelain plates and the occasional crunch from the toast.

"…uhm," Kiku began timidly. "…I have work today for a few hours, but…I was wondering if you wanted to hang out afterward, Alfred-san?"

"Actually, I kinda…wanted to be alone… I mean, not that I don't wanna hang out with you but…yeah. I might need some time to myself for a few days." He smiled at him a bit sadly.

"O-Oh, I see. That's quite alright. I understand."

"Thanks though. I promise we'll hang out later, okay? When I'm feeling…eh…more upbeat."

"Of course, yes."

The silence continued until Alfred finished his food and got up to put the dishes in the sink. He washed them and placed them to dry on the dish rack. Kiku followed him as he grabbed the keys from the bowl near the front door.

"…when will you be back?"

"…not sure." He looked over at Kiku, and gave a reassuring smile when he noticed the shorter boy was frowning, looking concerned. "Don't worry buddy. I'll be fine. I'm a Jones after all!"

But he had a hard time trying to convince himself that what he told Kiku wasn't a lie.

* * *

Alfred drove to the mall, intent on spending the day alone. Matthew had texted him, as did his mother, but he responded simply with, "I'll be home later. I wanna just wander a bit." Emily had the itch to go after her son, in fear he might make rash decisions, but Matthew reassured her everything would be fine, because if anybody knew the blonde best, it was his twin.

He walked aimlessly, taking a few minutes to sit on a bench near the indoor fountain, his hands in his pockets. He gave a heavy sigh as he stared down at his shoes.

"Alfred?" a familiar voice said to him. He looked up to find Arthur staring down at him, a bookstore shopping bag in his hand.

"Oh, hey Artie. Didn't expect to find you here today."

"There was an in-store sale on a few books so I came to check it out. What are you doing here, if you don't mind me asking?" He figured today wasn't a good day to speak to him in his normal sarcastic and crass manner.

"…just, y'know, hanging out."

"By yourself?"

"Yeah, can't a guy want a day to just be by himself…?" he asked a little irritated, a pout appearing on his face.

"Yes, of course. What? Why are you glaring at me like that?"

"Isn't this when you'd usually make some smartass remark about me or something?"

"Do you really want to get into an argument with me right now?"

"…no."

"That's what I thought."

Alfred slunk lower into the bench, still looking rather peeved. Arthur shook his head and gave a faint smile. "How long have you been here?"

"…dunno. Probably 'bout two hours…just walking around. Well actually the first hour I went to the park but then I got bored so then I came here and yeah…"

"Would you like to join me for lunch then?"

"…why?"

"I can hear your stomach growling."

"Eh heh…yeah…I guess so…"

He followed the Briton to one of the few restaurants in the mall, choosing to sit at a patio table so he could watch people come and go. Arthur occasionally looked up from his menu as Alfred nibbled on the straw absentmindedly, his hand supporting his chin as he looked at the mall-goers, staring off into space.

_I want to ask him if he wishes to talk about it but I know it'll only make him upset…_ Arthur thought to himself. _I can't get my mind off of what happened yesterday. To think all this time, his father was such a despicable man, when Alfred himself isn't at all like that._ _And then poor Manuel…_ He sighed softly to himself, looking over the menu. _Augh, I really feel like I should say something but it'll probably only end with us bickering like always._

"—and for you Arthur?"

"What?" He looked up and saw Toris waiting on him, his pen and pad ready. "O-Oh, I'm terribly sorry Toris…"

He gave a smile. "It's fine. What would you like?"

"Eh…I'll just have…the ham and cheese sandwich."

"Mm, okay. Would you like a soup or a salad?"

"Soup is fine, thank you." He handed him the menu. Toris noticed the glances he sent behind him.

"Francis isn't working today, Arthur."

His cheeks reddened a bit. "I-I-I wasn't…I-I don't know what you're talking about."

Toris couldn't suppress a chuckle. "Well then, I'll be back soon with your soup."

Huffing, Arthur sipped more of his iced tea, hoping the redness in his face would go down. Alfred raised an eyebrow. The other only continued to blush, the color deepening when he noticed the American was staring at him.

"What?"

"…do you like Francis, Artie? I know people've always joked 'bout it but man…I haven't seen anybody that red before, except for Kiku."

"N-No that is completely absurd!"

"Heh heh, okay, whatever y'say then!"

"Whatever," he said in a haughty tone, clearing his throat. "S-So…"

"Soooo?"

"…nothing."

Arthur had been feeling conflicted for a while whenever it came to Alfred. He wanted to deny that he may have feelings for the blonde oaf, but it didn't help his internal struggle whenever he'd get nervous around him during unexpected moments of mutual tranquility when it was just them. Only recently did he decide that yes, maybe he did kind of _sort of _see Alfred that way, but he knew better than to fantasize about their relationship beyond friends. As obnoxious and loud as he may be, he had desirable qualities of appearance and personality that he was sure many friends, and potential love interests, fancied about him.

Then there was Francis who frustrated him to no end, always mocked him and was usually the cause of his foul mood on most days. He thought he would be happy when Francis stopped bothering him, stopped irritating him to dangerous levels, stopped breathing the same _air_ as him…and yet, he felt very uncomfortable with the distance. Francis didn't even bother to make small talk with him if he caught him somewhere in public. It's almost as if he missed him.

But he attempted to deny that too.

"Uh…"

Alfred's voice prompted Arthur to look up at him. He noticed his eyes were a bit wide, his facial features morphing themselves to paint a very confused, and shocked, expression.

"What's wrong?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"…did…did y'know you were thinking out loud to yourself just now?"

Arthur stared at him, eyes large like dinner plates, his face paling. "…I…what…?"

"You were thinking out loud. Wh-What's this about you…uh…liking me more than a buddy ah ha ha?" he asked awkwardly with a nervous smile to match.

For a good two minutes, the other couldn't respond. Even when Toris brought him his soup, he still didn't budge. Growing concerned, the Lithuanian shook him lightly on the shoulder. "Arthur? Arthur?"

He slammed both hands down on the table, standing up and shrieking, "That was a while back! Pretend you heard NOTHING! I am _not_ a homosexual nor do I have feelings for you! Is that clear?!"

Other patrons stared at their table, passerby glancing at the flustered British teen as he glared at Alfred, who only sat there, still completely dumbfounded.

"A-Arthur please sit down!" Toris begged. "I don't want to have to ask you to—!"

Pulling out money from his wallet, he handed the bills to the bewildered brunette. "This should cover our meal I'm sure! I'm going to take my leave now Toris as I have many errands to run before I return home! Thank for you being a hospitable waiter!"

He grabbed his bag of books and then exited the restaurant as quickly as he could. Alfred just stared after him. He could see Arthur fuming, making frustrated hand gestures as he spoke to himself all the way to the other side of the mall, he was sure, somewhere far where he didn't have to see the American for a few hours.

Gradually the patrons resumed their lunches, some of their conversation topics switching to the relevance of what they just witnessed.

"…I'm not really sure what just happened," he said as he continued to stare absentmindedly into the distance.

"I'm not sure either Alfred…"

He focused back to his food. "Guess I'm eating lunch by myself then."

"I'm sorry Alfred."

"What's there to be sorry about? Artie's always been explosive like that."

"But what he said…"

He shrugged it off, dragging the soup bowl towards his side of the table. "Eh, like I told Kiku, I don't care which of my friends are straight, and which of my friends are gay." He blew the steam away from some of the soup, setting the spoon in his mouth. Satisfied with the taste, he continued. "I mean, I liked all of you waaaay before high school, so…I don't see you any different. Uh, even if…one of the guys happens to like me in _that_ way. Ha ha, like Herc said, it's flattering to know I'm attractive to both chicks and dudes!"

Toris smiled. "Yes, you do have a point. But I have to ask, are you going to eat Arthur's food too because I can't cancel it now since it's almost finished."

"Mm, can ya take a lunch break? I was planning to spend the day by myself but…left to my own thoughts, I don't think that's such a good idea." He scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "I just didn't want to be home I guess."

"Well my shift is almost over—"

"Great! You can help me eat this food then!"

"Oh but Alfred—"

"I'm sure your boss won't mind, right?"

"…I guess not. I mean it's already been paid for…" He looked to the side in thought, then glanced at Alfred with a smile. "Well then, alright, I'll keep you company."

"Thanks Tor!"

* * *

"So then why didja work today if you have the rest of the week off?"

"Huh? Oh…well I just grew bored in my house, and I honestly didn't feel like shopping everywhere with Feliks. Besides, restaurants in a place like this with a lot of customers can always use a helping hand, right?"

"Yeah but do you at least get paid?"

"Of course! My boss really appreciates hard workers. Uh, oh! Thank you for inviting me to eat with you Alfred. I actually planned to not have a lunch break today so I didn't have to work all throughout the afternoon, so it was nice to get off a little early, even if it was a few minutes difference."

"No problem buddy!"

The two walked around the mall after Toris managed to change out of his work uniform in the bathroom. Like Arthur, he had an itch to speak about what happened the day prior, but he felt it was disrespectful.

"Something wrong Tor? You got quiet all of a sudden."

"I'm fine Alfred," he reassured with a smile, but the other didn't buy it.

"It's because of yesterday, isn't it?"

"N-No that's not—"

"Really, it's okay. I had a feeling that's why Artie invited me to eat lunch with him, 'cause he usually never does that, nor is he so nice about it." He looked at Toris. "That's actually why I planned to be alone today. I wanted time to think, but the more I thought, the angrier I got, the more I wish I could've…" He sighed angrily, a scowl on his face as he looked at the floor. "I hate everything that man chose to be. I hate that he's my father. I hate that he left mom, Matt, and I…and I hate what he did to those poor little kids, _especially_ to Manny. I hope he rots in Hell."

He had never heard Alfred speak with such a loathsome tone in his voice.

"Is there anything I can do to help? I'm sorry, I just got concerned is all. Ah ha, I didn't mean to bring back those emotions."

"No, it's okay Tor." He sighed, his anger beginning to simmer down. "I just want the trial to come sooner than later so that asshole can be locked away forever, or even executed. I don't fucking care which one, so long as he gets what he deserves."

_So much hate he has. As understandable as that is, it's hard to imagine Alfred hating anybody that much to the point where he even wishes death upon them. But I wouldn't know what it's like to have a parent like that, so I shouldn't be that surprised._ "Alfred, would you like ice cream?"

"Oh boy, would I!"

_His mood suddenly shifted._ Toris smiled. _He's like a puppy._ "Good, because I have a coupon for a sundae at the ice cream parlor on the second floor. There's a bakery right next to it too, so we can choose which desserts we—"

"Why not the best of both worlds?" he grinned.

The two friends ended up sharing a rather large sundae, but ordering separately for baked goods. Toris got a bag of cookies, but Alfred managed to consume not only a dozen assorted cookies, but a pie slice, a cheesecake slice, and a brownie.

"Alfred, you bought more?" Toris asked, clearly amazed at his bottomless stomach.

"Huh? Oh these aren't for me!" he said, patting the large box. "This is for mom and Matt. I got them each a few slices of their favorite pie."

"Then what's the other one for?"

"Oh this? This box is for Kiku."

"Kiku?"

"Yeah, he really likes the sweets here, especially the ones shaped like bunnies, so I figured, why not!"

Toris smiled. "That's cute."

"What is?"

"That you're always thinking about Kiku. Aside from work, I rarely see you without him somewhere nearby."

"That's 'cause he's my best friend! I never stop thinking 'bout him." Toris blinked, making Alfred realize his sentence was worded awkwardly. "Uh…w-well y'know what I mean! Like…like he's close to me, maybe even as close as I am with Matt!"

"Of course," he replied with another smile, pretending to ignore the rose-tinted cheeks on the American's face.

* * *

Alfred returned home around 10pm, sighing happily as he closed the front door and set the keys in a bowl. Emily walked up to him and worriedly asked, "Alfred where were you?! All three of us have been trying to call you for hours!"

"Eh? Oh uh, I'm sorry mom! My phone died and I forgot to bring the car charger." When she didn't relax, he continued. "I was by myself in the morning. I didn't feel like talking to anybody, but then I met Artie at the mall. We were gonna have lunch buuut then things got…er, awkward."

"Awkward?"

"Yeah, we were waiting for our food and Arthur didn't know he was thinking out loud so I heard something I'm pretty sure he never wanted anybody else to know."

"…and that was the awkward bit?"

"Well I mean yeah. How else were we both supposed to feel when he said he sorta liked me as boyfriend material?"

That got Kiku's attention immediately. "Arthur-san…said that…?" Matthew glanced over at the smaller teen with curiosity.

"Yeah, he did, but when I told him he was thinking out loud, he got so pissed and embarrassed that he hightailed it outta there. He said bye to Toris but not me." He pouted. "I don't know why he's all bothered though. It's not like I like him back that way. Eh, but I should probably tell him that in person or something. I don't want it to be awkward forever, 'cause I already know that's how it is with him and Francis."

"So you noticed too," Matthew said.

"Mm. He thought out loud about that too." He set down the dessert boxes on the kitchen island. "But they're both stubborn and if I do anything Arthur will just get upset and Francis will just ignore me. Guess this is just something they gotta work out themselves."

Emily sighed. "But then where were you the rest of the day?"

"Oh, hanging out with Toris! After his shift ended, we walked around the mall for a bit, then went over to his house for some movies! I'm glad I had company today. Being lonely wasn't all that great, but I wasn't sure if I wanted all that leisure time to think about…stuff…" He chuckled softly. "Eh but, being around Toris makes me comfortable! He's a really good friend. I can see why he has like, a fan following with Feliks, Raivis, and Eduard, ha ha!"

Kiku felt a pang of jealousy.

"Oh that reminds me, we're gonna go see a movie tomorrow! So I'll probably be gone for most of the afternoon. Is that okay with you mom?"

"Sure honey, but be back for dinner, alright?"

"Yeah!" He looked at the pastel box on the island. "I brought you guys some sweets from the dessert shop at the mall."

At the word 'dessert', Emily immediately calmed down, walking over. "Ooooh, how sweet! Ah! There's pie in here! Mattie, there's some for you too!"

"…mom you didn't think Al brought that giant cube just for you…did you?"

"No of course not!" she said, already setting the pie onto a plate.

"Sure…"

Alfred laughed at his family, then handed Kiku the smaller box. "This is for you!"

"For…me?"

"Yeah! They're those assorted cookies that you like, and I bought a few of the bunny shaped ones for good measure! I know those are your favorite."

Kiku opened it, the deliciously sweet smell caressing his nose. "Alfred-san, I don't know wh-what to say. I wasn't expecting this."

"Aww buddy. Well I always think about you when you're not with me y'know."

His cheeks reddened a bit, Alfred taking notice, feeling a little shy himself. "S-So don't worry about it, okay?"

"Y-Yes…"

"Anyway…" he yawned, stretching. "I think I'm gonna hit the hay. I have a feeling I'm gonna sleep in tomorrow. Night mom, Matt!"

They waved at him with smiles and stuffed faces of pie.

"Uh uhm…!" Kiku began as Alfred ascended the stairs. "…w-would you like to play some…some video games with me tomorrow?"

"When I get back from the movies with Toris, yeah 'course!"

"Oh, yes, that's fine then. Good night Alfred-san."

"Night Kiku!"

He stood at the foot of the staircase staring at his box, thinking. _Arthur-san had a crush on Alfred-san? This…shouldn't surprise me but… And he spent all day with Toris-san. Oh but of course he did Kiku, he's a good friend of Alfred-san's as well! Don't get greedy! You're not his only friend! _He sighed._ …though I don't know why this troubles me so. If Arthur-san really did feel that way, is it possible that others might also…? No but, Alfred-san has a preference for girls, that I am certain of. Ugh, then why am I so bothered by this news?_

Being the last one to go to bed, Kiku ate some of his cookies in silence, still feeling grateful that Alfred brought him back something from his outing. _I shouldn't be having these thoughts but…but just having the suspicion that he might…augh. No, that will give me a false sense of hope. But knowing what I know now, and how he reacted when Arthur-san unwillingly confessed to him, if I were to tell him also that I…well, that I feel strongly for him, that I love him…would he still want to be my friend?_

He gripped his glass of milk tightly in his hand.

_Or will he never want to have anything to do with me ever again?_

* * *

A/N: This chapter wasn't supposed to take this long to be released, but I wrote half of it not knowing where I was going to take this next development. Eh so, that's why there was like a two month pause in between my updates. Writer's block is always to blame, but then so is my laziness and procrastination problem. I also got distracted by Animal Crossing: New Leaf, role-playing on Twitter, ended up going to an anime convention, and two Disneyland theme parks. Yeah. My summer has been sort of busy I suppose. I've also been trying to get more anime/manga titles under my belt before the new academic semester starts, so luckily with effort, those two months I didn't update I managed to finish the Sword Art Online, Blue Exorcist, and Karneval anime. Mm, then I'm keeping up with the current on-going titles like Attack on Titan and Free! so there's that, not to mention Dangan Ronpa, although I don't think I can handle the massive character deaths again in anime form. I think I'm good with just the playthrough... Character deaths really affect me most of the time so. YEAH. I managed to recover by watching the Fairy Tail anime on Hulu, but then that series unexpectedly made me cry in just about every story arc... It wasn't supposed to be sad this isn't what I asked for.

Regardless, I would recommend Attack on Titan if you haven't already been convinced elsewhere to watch it, or read the manga if you want to get ahead like I did. It's really good but expect to see characters dropping like flies in gruesome ways by horrific giant monsters. Fairy Tail is also nice with similar concepts and art like One Piece. That reminds me I never finished Rave Master but I can't find the manga volumes in stores anymore and I forgot the chapter where I left off and pretty much the entirety of the story... Poop.

So now I'm going to go ahead and continue with the manga adaptions of Blue Exorcist, Karneval, and Fairy Tail, as well as other well-known titles that I keep procrastinating on -cough Bleach and One Piece cough-, since I have about a week left before fall semester starts, and God knows with all the drawing that entails, I won't have as much leisure time for fanfictions or anime-watching and manga-reading. I should probably watch Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood too... I never did finish that title...or Soul Eater. I'm behind...but I think with Magi I'm good. Did anything new happen in Hetalia because the last thing I remember is watching the dubbed version of the movie. All of these titles are getting me sidetracked and I'm falling behind on basically all of them.

Shit. This is the life of an anime fan, forgetting where you stopped reading/watching something and then having the urge to continue multiple titles all at once.

Yet again my Author's Notes got longer than I intended. Er anyway, yeah, I don't know when the next update will be but hopefully soon! Also, I added my public Twitter account on my profile if you ever want to contact me (or recommend another anime ah ha ha), since that's about the only website I use as I don't frequent the internet as much anymore. Just be warned I'm a big stupid dork on there.

Until the next update!


	18. Folly

Chapter 18: Folly

Alfred was in a better mood contrast to the day prior. It showed in his smile when he greeted Toris at his door.

"Oh, Alfred, you're early!"

"Ha ha, don't look so surprised Tor!"

"Erm it's just, well it's not even noon yet so—"

"That's 'cause we're going out to eat!"

"Uh, we…are?"

"Yeah! You didn't think we'd just go see a movie and that's that, didja?"

"H-Honestly I'm not sure what I expected!"

"A friend-date, that's what you should be expecting!"

* * *

"I'm coming, I'm coming! Geez!" Feliks huffed and opened his front door, irritation in his face draining away when he saw a familiar Japanese boy standing there. "Kiku? I was totally not expecting you to visit. Like ever."

"Apologies Feliks-kun, but there is an urgent matter that I must uhm…discuss with you."

"Sure thing buddy. Come on in!" He led him through the door, locking it behind him. "Parents are out for the day, so don't worry about running into them or anything. My room's this way."

Feliks opened his bedroom door and flopped down on his bed. Kiku was flabbergasted, taking in the rather extensive horse collection he'd ever seen in his entire life. _Honestly, I don't know what I was expecting…_

He heard the other laugh. "Yeah, you're not the first person to have that face. Lotsa people who visit for the first time are always like, so shocked at all these horses. But come on, they're only my most favorite animal _ever._ Why wouldn't I wanna collect horse things?"

"That is a good question that I'm positive only you will be able to answer, Feliks-kun."

"Well come on, what's the gossip?" He patted the spot on the bed next to him.

"Uh, it is not gossip. It's an urgent matter."

"Shouldn't you go to somebody like, say Al, for this? He's your best friend."

"I cannot go to him because…he cannot help me with this…matter. Besides, today he is spending most of the day with Toris-san."

"Oh yeah, Tor has a date with him today."

"It is not a date!"

"Okay okay!" He held up his hands in defense. "An outing, hanging out, _whatever_ you wanna call it! Geez, don't bite my head off."

"I apologize…"

Feliks crossed his arms and stared hard at Kiku, cocking his head to the side a bit. He rubbed his chin, and as if a light bulb went off, he grinned. "Ooooh, yeah. Okay, I see."

"…?"

"The matter _is_ Alfred, isn't it?"

"W-Well technically it—"

"Ah ha ha, you've got a crush on him, dontcha?" Feliks giggled as Kiku's face turned rosy. He swung his legs back and forth at the edge of the bed. "You don't have to say it. I already know." Before the other could even open his mouth to retort, the Polish boy continued. "You make it too obvious."

"Wh-What?! I haven't told anyone about it aside from you and I'm very careful to avoid suspicion of any kind!"

"Tsk tsk. And yet, how is it that I already knew, huh?"

"Perhaps you are just keen at these things!"

"Or perhaps, I have my own little gossip circle—"

"Gossip circle?!"

"—but…! I won't be giving away names."

"Why…are you talking about me behind my back?"

"Oh it's nothing bad, don't worry! It's just, said persons in my gossip circle happen to notice you pay almost _zero_ attention to Herc now, and like, a _thousand_ attention to Al. But don't worry, your secret is safe with me."

"And your gossip circle I'm assuming…" Kiku sighed heavily.

"Relax, just because we gossip, doesn't mean we tell all that stuff to people outside the circle! Otherwise we'd have to kick that person out!"

"How many of your members are even in there?"

"That's classified in-for-ma-tion. All I'll say is that you know them all and you can trust us to not spill the beans."

"Perhaps I should go…"

"No! Kiku, I promise, super promise, mega promise, _ultra_ promise that nothing bad will happen if I tell this to these specific persons! And you're my friend, so if you need help with something I'll like, totally help you out however I can! That's what Tor would want me to do!"

He glared at Feliks who was clasping his hands together in earnest, a pleading look upon his face. Deciding to take the risk, Kiku sat down next to him, sighing again. "Very well. I mean, I don't know who else to go to for this really so…"

Feliks chuckled and hugged him. "What are friends for? So! What's the matter?"

"Ehm…well I feel rather…_stupid_, for feeling this way."

"Oh come on, Al's like a really hot guy, among other things. It's not a surprise that alotta people wanna bang him—"

"E-Excuse me?!"

"Yeah, bang him as in—"

"I know what that _means!_ But for you to insinuate that I'd want to do something like that with Alfred-san…!" Kiku was feeling overheated, touching his cheeks with his hands. Feliks chuckled again.

"I gotcha, I gotcha! That's not something that's on your mind right now, is it? Oh Kiku, you're so cute."

"Yes I have been told that _many_ times."

"Sorry for getting off topic. Go ahead."

"Uhm…well, what I was going to say is…I don't…f-feel stupid for loving him per se—"

Feliks gasped. "Love? I thought this was a crush!"

"It has…evolved beyond that point."

"Oh, no no. Then I can't say anything to the others." He zipped his lips.

"Uhm…"

"See, we gossip about things that, if they like, ever do go out of the circle, the results would be harmless. But Kiku, if you're talking love, like the actual love where your heart just like _swells_ with warmth and affection for him—"

"Y-Yes…"

"—then I can't say anything! There are rules all of us have to keep!"

"Uh…well okay, I suppose."

"And since we're speaking about love, the results would be disastrous if word ever got out you're in love with Al! Because like, a crush is one thing, it'll pass if that happens, but _love?_ We're talking about the kind of love like ''til death do us part' and that's really something else entirely! And you'll be devastated because love is like the strongest emotion ever and I don't want you to get depressed!"

Kiku was stunned into dead silence.

"Oh, I interrupted again. Sorry."

"I…Feliks-kun, you are jumping the gun here. I do not intend to marry Alfred-san, or…s-s-sl—well, you know."

"Like ever?"

"…I will answer that at a later time. A friendly reminder that I'm merely seventeen years old and to be thinking that far ahead…well, I haven't inserted those…fantasies, into my future plans."

"Yeah, you're right. Well, anyway, continue! I'm just going to say 'sorry' in advance for any other interruptions."

"…that's fine, uh… Well, to further explain, I uhm…well, becoming aware that I am in love with Alfred-san, there are many conflicts, and I am at my wits' end."

"What do you mean?"

"For one, I know his preference is with females, and he only sees me as a friend, his very best friend. And…the most troublesome part is dealing with all these feelings of jealousy, like today. I mean, I know he has other friends but the way he spoke of Toris-san yesterday with such affection made me…angry."

"Oh Kiku."

"But I shouldn't be jealous because Toris-san is a good person and Alfred-san has the right to hang out with whoever he wants! I am not his wife!"

"Hee hee, that's cute. You consider yourself like a wife."

"Th-That was not what I meant, merely a slip of the tongue."

"Freudian slip!"

"Wh-Whatever. But anyway, I hate that I have these feelings and I try my best to not get too close to him, or…well, close in that I think I have the authority to dictate his life because I really love being so close to him and I couldn't have asked for a better best friend. Feliks-kun, I am distraught and I don't know what to do. I don't want to smother him with my affection because then he will be repelled and maybe even catch on that I love him and that wouldn't be good for either side…"

Feliks stared at Kiku who looked so crestfallen that the Polish boy believed he might even cry. He could have sworn those were the beginning of tears threatening to fall from the corners of his eyes.

"Kiks."

"Kiks?" _Is that what he's going to call me now...?_

"You shouldn't worry about Tor. He likes Nat, remember? And as far as I know, because I have intel everywhere to keep me on top of things, nobody else that Al talks with regularly, aside from your cousin, likes him that way." He pet his head. "So don't get all sad, okay? And, I know just how to prove it to you!"

"You do?"

"Yup!"

* * *

Kiku didn't know why he even bothered asking anybody for help with his romantic troubles when he was sure it'd end up in a train wreck. Especially Feliks. _This was a bad idea._

"This is not what I was expecting when you said you'd be able to prove it to me."

"Well how else are we gonna know? Besides, these disguises are like, flawless."

"You look exactly the same."

"Uh, hello? The wig? I'm a redhead now. Hmm, Kiks, you're totally rocking that outfit."

"I'm a male dressed in feminine clothing."

"And you look so pretty in them too! Besides, with that wig, nobody will be able to tell that's you. Just…try not to talk so much, and if you do, change your pitch. Otherwise our plan goes right down the drain."

Sighing heavily, Kiku followed Feliks into the mall. He'll admit that Feliks looked pretty good in women's clothing, but Kiku wasn't very comfortable in them himself. He stuck close by to his friend (a term he used loosely now with this boy) so as not to wander off in case a situation occurred. He had no choice but to opt for the long black wig Feliks had in stock, as wearing a short one would have made it easier to recognize him.

"Hey Kiks, I think those guys over there think you're cute. They're totally checking you out."

"Can we _please_ just get to the movie theater?"

"Pssh, okay, okay… God. Sorry for doing such a good job at making you attractive."

"The only thing I will thank you for is allowing me to continue to wear my boxers. Otherwise, you and I would have had a serious problem, Feliks-kun."

Kiku halted when he saw Alfred and Toris in the line, chatting away merrily. Feliks allowed for more people to get in front of them so as not to attract attention. After they were sure the other two already bought their tickets and went inside, Feliks bought their own and walked into the theater.

Heart racing and palms sweating, Kiku walked up to the concession line.

"Hey, I'm gonna go scope out some seats so we're not too close to them, okay? Somewhere in the back. Tor already walked to get some I'm assuming."

"B-But—"

"Don't _worry._ As long as you don't talk to him, Al probably won't know it's you."

"Probably?"

"Probably. Yeah. I bought the tickets, so you grab the snacks." He bounced off to reserve them seats.

Absentmindedly, Kiku walked into the line, trembling slightly. He looked down, thinking very hard about what he was doing. Surely, he was going to feel like a fool tomorrow. Only one person in front of him until his turn. His eyes widened when he heard the familiar friendly voice order.

"—and two hotdogs, a cinnamon pretzel, a regular pretzel, some chicken fingers—"

_Alfred-san…! Only he would order that many snacks for one simple movie!_ Kiku's face flushed again, swallowing hard and trying to make himself as small as possible.

"—and I'll take some candy too."

"Woah there Al."

"Hey c'mon, you know I always order this much on my days off."

"Yeah but you should leave some for the other patrons!"

"Laugh it up all you want George, but my metabolism is good to me and I work out, so there!" He stuck out his tongue.

"You're such a kid."

"I'm not gonna deny it!"

Alfred reached over to grab some candy, Kiku making sure he was clear out of the way. When he finished ordering, he moved to the side until he got all of his snacks and confectionaries.

"What can I get for you miss?" the clerk asked.

"Uh u-uhm…" Kiku attempted to mask his voice. "A large…popcorn…and uhm…" He hurriedly grabbed whatever candy was closest to him. "These…"

"Is that all?"

"Yes…"

He rummaged through his wallet to get out some money. Alfred eyed him with curiosity. "Hey?"

"Y-Yes…?"

"Do I…know you?"

_Shit._ "I don't think so? I haven't ever seen you around…"

"Oh, wait, now I know why!"

Kiku tensed up.

"That wallet is the same one my friend has!"

"Ah, is that so?"

"Yeah!"

"I see. What a coincidence ah h-ha."

Grabbing his box of snacks, Kiku began to powerwalk away. Alfred followed. "Hey why're you walking so fast?!"

"I uhm, don't want to have a good seat taken."

"Aww, yeah I understand." Kiku could see from the corner of his eyes that Alfred continued to glance at him as they got napkins and straws.

"Is something the matter?"

"Ah n-no it's just…! Well you're really cute." He rubbed the back of his neck, a blush beginning to form on his face.

"Uh uhm…"

"Hey look I'm not trying to hit on you or anything! Just…a compliment. And…well you really do remind me of my friend. He's really cute too. That's one of the things I like best about him."

Kiku's face flared up. "Y-Your friend…? You think he's c-cute?"

"That…that sounds weird huh? 'Cause he's a guy…but…but no! Y'know what, I shouldn't be afraid to think other guys are attractive! I mean, girls can think other girls are attractive, right? So…yeah!"

"That is not what…"

"Ha ha, you probably think I'm sorta weird or like…dorky…"

"I uhm…well, dorky is nice."

"Eh?"

"Dorky. It is cute… And you too…! You are also…a very cute person."

The color in Alfred's face darkened, but he smiled instead of shying away. "Thanks!"

Walking together, they made their way to their own seats, saying goodbye. Feliks raised an eyebrow as Kiku approached him with a smile. "Here are your snacks, Feliks-kun."

"Saw you talking to Al."

"I tried not to say much. And he's the one who spoke to me first."

"You gotta tell me what happened."

"I'd rather not."

Toris put away his phone when Alfred plopped down right next to him. He gasped when he saw the box overflowing with food. "Alfred! We just ate lunch!"

"Yeah but these are snacks! Here's your stuff!"

"My goodness…" He huffed, followed up by a chuckle. "So who was that girl you were speaking with?"

"Dunno. I didn't ask her name."

"She seemed interested in you."

"Ah ha, really? Well even if she was…I don't think I am."

"Oh? Is it because of Navah?"

"Er, sorta. Kinda in the transition phase of getting over her, y'know?"

"Hmm, yes I know. Oh, the movie is going to start!"

Alfred couldn't focus on the movie for the first half hour. He mostly stared at the screen mindlessly, eating his food as he tried to make sense of his thoughts._ I feel like getting over Navah might not be the only thing transitioning…_

* * *

Kiku was glad to be out of Feliks's house. He politely handed back the clothes and said that if he made Kiku ever do something so dangerous like that again, the next topic of gossip will be how his entire horse collection ended up incinerated by a flamethrower.

"Life's full of mistakes, and asking Feliks-kun for advice about Alfred-san was one of the biggest follies I've ever made… But at least I learned from it. Now to get home before he does. Oh, but first, a stop at the supermarket. We need some groceries for dinner."

He had a lot of time to think on the bus, cradling the bags of food in his arms. _Well, the only thing gained from this experience is that it was rather boring. How stupid I've become. What am I, a preteen girl in a soap opera? Nothing happened between them because they're friends, and that's where their relationship will stay._ He sighed. _I'm making myself paranoid, which I shouldn't, considering Alfred-san could never feel that way about me… Oh well… Perhaps it's better this way. I'm not life partner material for anybody… As long as Alfred-san can find somebody who loves him as much as I do, I'll be happy for the most part._

Kiku attempted to disregard his negative thoughts to prevent himself from falling into a gloomy mood. When he opened the door, he was greeted by Alfred, who was sitting on the couch, the home screen of one of their consoles waiting on the television.

"Welcome home buddy!"

"Alfred-san?"

"I didn't think you'd go out today."

"I got bored being in the house. And I need to go buy some groceries for tonight's dinner." He lifted the bags slightly as evidence. "All in all, it was a fairly…busy day. How was your outing with Toris-san?"

"Good! I kinda didn't pay much attention to the movie."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. Had alotta things on my mind."

"Well, if you ever wish to talk about something, I'm here for you."

"Thanks. I know I can always count on you. That's what makes you such a good friend."

"Ah th-thank you. Uhm…so…" He pointed to the console. "You're going to play video games now?"

"Kiku, did you forget our gaming night?"

"Eh…? O-Oh, that's right! I'm sorry…"

"Don't worry about it! Happens to everybody. You don't have to make dinner for another two hours or so, right? We'll play until then."

"Oh, okay."

Putting away the groceries, Kiku sat down on the couch next to Alfred who handed him a controller. "You choose what game we play! We gotta get in as much gaming time as possible before school starts up again! We only have the rest of July, then August, and before you know it, September!"

"Alright…how about…this one?"

"Man, Kiku, you know that all friendships between anybody are void in Mario Party games, right?"

He chuckled. "Yes, I know."

"Good! Just didn't want to make you sad or anything when I win."

"You couldn't ever make me sad when playing against you Alfred-san. Everybody knows you always lose against me." He smiled sweetly at him.

"Ooooh, them's fightin' words! Alright, just for that, I'm gonna kick your ass in this game!"

"That is what you always say and yet you come in at second place."

"Not today! No way Jose! And just to make things interesting, whoever loses has to wash tonight's dishes! You game?"

"But of course."

Kiku figured that, even though his romantic endeavors would be all for naught, at least he had Alfred as a best friend, because their current relationship was more than he could ever ask for. To have somebody who genuinely cares about you and does nothing but lift you up, well, he figured he was already getting a good deal in life. As Alfred shot up from his seat and screamed at the television as he lost again, Kiku laughed. He decided to drop the hope for something more, and just be content with what he already has, knowing the taller boy could never love him mutually.

Or at least, that's what he thought.

* * *

A/N: I know, I know, short chapter this time around. But, I wanted to get it in so this story doesn't pace itself too fast. I wrote this in the campus library today during my break because I finally found the time to actually update this story. (I'm still not satisfied with what I've written for this installment 18...) My schoolwork has been taking its toll. I spend more than six hours on my homework almost every day. That's what I get for being an animation major. Lots and lots of drawing, and very little sleep and leisure time. -laughs- Considering it's already October, the next chapter will be, you guessed it, a Halloween one! I already have some ideas of what I want to write, but if you guys want to input suggestions, be my guest. ;)

I also wanted to make an announcement: Would anybody be interested in some Hetalia doujins? I bought them 3 years ago at my local anime convention out of impulse, but I don't need them. (Obviously, they're not translated.) I have three, the pairing being Ameripan in all of them but England is also in there because at the time, my favorite group was the Stray Trio (America, Japan, and England). I'm cleaning out my room, or at least, in the very gradual process of it, but I don't want to throw them away, but I also can't keep them (I don't want to find out what would happen if my mom ever discovers them when I'm not home). It's not porn, as they're all SFW, but man, the way I'm writing this, that's how it sounds huh? -laughs- Okay well there's one page that suggests Al and Kiku are doing the do, but they don't show anything so...yeah.

Please contact me if you're interested! I don't care about being paid a dime. I just want to get rid of them. LOL. Now I'm glad I never bought those FrUK ones because uh...I was very tempted to buy an R-18 one but...my little brother was with me that second day of the convention so...yeah. That would have been...very, very, awkward. (I FEEL LIKE A BAD PERSON.) Oh, yes, means of contact. Well, you can send me a message here, tweet at me on my public Twitter account, "broshounen", or send me a message on Tumblr. My username there is "sturaida".

Before I finally end this long Author's Note (THEY'RE ALMOST NEVER SHORT ANYMORE), I wanted to say that after this story, or even sometime soon, I'm going to start up a Free! fanfiction. I know I said I'd stop writing these things to focus on my original work but... It'll be multi-chapter as per usual, with most of the story being in Makoto's point of view (I love him so much. -sob-), but still in 3rd person. Nitori will also be a secondary character of importance. It'll start off RinHaru, but end up as MakoHaru and RinTori. That's what I envision. Side pairings include Reigisa and SeiGou. Yeah. You can blame all the prompts I've read on Tumblr...

My God. Look at all of that text. I really need to work on getting straight to the point and not ramble so much. That's probably why I'm incapable of writing "short" stories. Anyway, once again, thank you for continuing to read this story! I hope you'll see it to its end! Until next update! -vanishes like a vampire, because you know, Halloween soon- (Yeah...)


	19. Frightfully Fun

Chapter 19: Frightfully Fun

Summer passed by like a breeze, much to Alfred's dismay. But simply having the knowledge that he was now in his senior year of high school made up for it, if only slightly. Mrs. Rosales greeted them all happily when they returned to homeroom on the first day.

"This is it kids. Your very last year of high school has begun," she said as she clasped her hands together. "I'm going to miss you all when you graduate in June."

"We just started the first day of the year."

"Yes I know Arthur, but I'm still missing everybody already!"

Kiku wasn't sure how he felt about being a senior. Sure, he was that much closer to getting a career and living on his own, but that also meant he would potentially lose Alfred as a friend because of contrasting majors. He watched as Alfred chatted away with Francis about how excited he was for June of next year. The Japanese teen couldn't help but give a soft sigh.

_College for us begins at the end of August of next year, so I have an entire year to figure out how to explain my feelings clearly to Alfred-san without ruining our friendship… That should be enough time…right? Yes, of course. I will think of something eventually…_

"—and what about your summer, Kiku?"

"Huh?" He looked up from his desk at Mrs. Rosales. "Uhm…I'm sorry Rosales-sensei. What…was it you asked?"

"How was your summer?"

"It was…eventful. I spent most of it with Alfred-san and Matthew-san."

"So I've heard! You and Alfred are really close, huh?"

"Yup!" the blonde replied with a sunny smile. "Kiku's my best pal!"

"Y-Yes… I consider Alfred-san my closest friend as well…"

"Aww, now that's really cute! If I didn't know any better, I might've mistaken you two as a couple."

Kiku's face flushed while Alfred held his hands up in defense. "Woah, Mrs. Rosales, it's not like that, honest! I-I'm not—"

"I believe you." She gave a sweet smile. Kiku tried to hide his face in a textbook, while Alfred slumped in his seat, arms crossed and attempting to ignore the heat rising to his cheeks. Knowing peers in their class, such as Tino and Feliks, smiled at the pair who were sporting matching blushes.

"What about you Manuel? You've been quiet since you walked into the classroom." When she didn't get a response, she asked again. "Manuel? What did you do over your summer?"

"Huh?"

"Don't tell me you weren't paying attention either…"

"I'm…sorry, Mrs. Rosales. Uh…didn't do much. You know, just worked mostly…!"

"You didn't go to any summer parties? I hear Alfred and Matthew have their birthday party every 4th of July. I'm surprised none of your friends have spoken about it yet."

There was almost complete silence in the homeroom class. Manuel could feel all his friends' eyes on him. He didn't want to answer that question. Standing up, he walked toward the door. "Ah ha, I'm sorry. I have to…uhm…use the restroom…! My stomach's been bothering me ever since I left my house! Excuse me."

With a concerned look, Mrs. Rosales called after him, but he didn't come back. "Was it something I said?"

Most everyone in class knew what was bothering the Mexican boy, Alfred especially. "He didn't go to your party, Alfred? Did you not invite him?"

"Eh…n-no he went! It was…er…different than last year's. A lot…different…"

"Don't worry about Manuel, _maestra_." She turned to Antonio who spoke up. "Manny has a lot of things going on in his head right now. He just needs some time alone, that's all!" Though he said that, Antonio himself was mildly worried.

"Well…alright."

"And you? How was your summer?"

"Hmm? Oh! Well as you can see," she rubbed her dilated stomach. "I'm expecting my third child, ha ha! Although this happened before summer." She chuckled as the entire class congratulated her.

"Oh! Is it going to be a girl or a boy?" Mei asked excitedly.

"My husband and I want it to be a surprise, so we're waiting until the baby is born. But I'd be lying if I said I wasn't hoping for a girl! We have two sons already, so a girl would be nice."

After they chatted with Mrs. Rosales some more, she turned to the white board. "Okay class, let's get down to business before homeroom period is over. Now then…" She pushed the board that said 'Welcome back class!' to reveal the one underneath. A large timeline was drawn on it with important dates marked. "This is your senior year, so the first thing I'm going to emphasize is to have at least 4 colleges in mind that you wish to enter. We're going to get started on your paperwork early. And don't forget to apply for financial aid because universities these days cost an arm and a leg."

She made notes in the free spaces on the board. "Your senior year is very busy, and I'm hoping it's more fun than stressful for you all. Prom is in May and following that are your other senior activities, but I'll talk more about that in January, okay?" Picking up some flyers, she waddled slightly as she walked to the front of each row, counting the students and then handing the correct quantity to the first person. "One thing I will talk about however, is the senior play."

Smirking as some her students groaned, she continued. "Now now, you all saw last year's seniors in the auditorium, and now it's your turn. This is your community project."

"Can some of us be exempt from this activity and do something else?"

"No Arthur, you must all participate in some way, whether you help set the stage, direct, act, and so on and so forth. Every senior homeroom is doing their own play, so I want you all to start thinking of ideas so I can send them in to the theater department. If you even want to start writing scripts of your concepts, that's fine too."

Kiku wasn't enthusiastic about acting, but writing out a story idea and having it turned into a play piqued his interest. _Hmm, I do have a few already in my head. Perhaps I should submit one…_ He raised his hand and asked, "Rosales-sensei, if we do submit one and it gets chosen, will our name be on it?"

"But of course. All of your names will be on it."

"So, if the person who submits a script gets chosen, then…will they have to act in the play?"

"That depends. Like in movies, the directors are sometimes also the actors. But we'll talk more about that one the deadline gets closer. The play is to be performed at the beginning of May for our class, but because it has to be a considerable amount of time, we start preparing in November, so your scripts must be turned in on October 31st."

She clapped her hands together. "That reminds me, once again we're having our Halloween bash! If you wish to participate, like helping setting up the gym with decorations, don't forget to tell me. You have to decide by the end of September."

When she was about to pass out the class schedules, Manuel walked back into the room. "Oh, Manuel you missed all of my exciting announcements."

"Eh, I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I'm sure Antonio or your sisters can fill you in." She passed around the new class schedules to all of her students. "Oh, and just so none of you procrastinate, like I know most teenagers do, I went ahead and even made copies of my timeline so you don't miss anything!"

The bell rang, prompting the students to pick up their things and pour out of the classroom. "Have a good first day back! Don't forget to have your schedules signed or stamped so I know you actually went to all of them!"

* * *

Arthur sighed as he opened up his new locker combination, stuffing his things inside so he didn't have to carry so much during lunch.

"Hey Artie!" greeted Gilbert as he slapped him on the back.

"Will you _please_ stop doing that?!"

"So I was wondering if you'd help me with something."

"_What?_"

"Well, you're good at English and stuff, yeah?"

"If you're going to make some kind of joke because I actually _am_—"

"No no, I want ya to help me with a script."

"Why?"

"'Cause like I said, you're good at writing."

"Gilbert—"

"Hey now before you say anything, I already read the rules and things, and it says that the scripts can be a collaborative effort." He slung an arm around his shoulders. "Let's make a script!"

"Aren't you going to write one with Francis and Antonio?"

"Nah, they're making a really mushy romance thing with Lovi, so I don't wanna be a part of it."

The Briton sighed. "Fine, fine. What did you have in mind?"

"Something badass, like a spy sorta thing with action and shit."

"You know, this sounds like something you'd want to talk with Alfred about."

"Nah, he's coming up with a superhero theme, like always. Gonna have aliens and dinosaurs in it or something."

"I wonder if he's aware that this school isn't a movie studio…"

"So? What do you say?"

"You don't want to ask your brother for help?"

"Eh, Feli wanted to do some kinda fairytale theme with him and some other people…"

"So essentially, you have no one."

"…well it sounds bad when you put it like _that._"

Massaging his temple, he said, "Alright, I'll help you with a script. But! As the rules say, this is a collaborative effort, so if I think something just doesn't flow well—"

"Yeah yeah, you can change it." Gilbert caught Kiku at his locker and said, "Hey Kiku!"

"Hello, Gilbert-san, Arthur-san."

"Wanna work on a script with Artie and me?"

"Uhm, no thank you."

"Aww, why not?"

"I…already have something in mind. It's something I hoped to submit by myself…"

"Hmm, really? Well, okay I guess. Can't wait to see it! Heh heh! But don't be bummed out if it doesn't get chosen! We're rivals from now until Halloween!"

"Yes… If that's what you think, Gilbert-san."

"Right! So Artie, we should start writing out the plot. I'm gonna be the main character."

"You, the main character?"

"Well yeah. I'm gonna be the lead actor! Liz is gonna be my lead actress."

Arthur scoffed. "Have you even asked her?"

"She'll agree. Eventually."

"Right."

* * *

Kiku swatted away the pseudo fog as he walked into the large store. Alfred insisted they go to the Halloween warehouse as soon as October rolled around.

"Uh, did I really have to come Al?" Matthew asked, walking behind him a little slowly.

"Well yeah. We're all gonna get some costumes so that way we can get the good ones and not the shitty leftovers. Kiku, what're you thinking about going as?"

"I don't believe I want to attend our school's Halloween event…"

"Aww but why not?! You hafta go!"

"There is nothing to do there except eat and dance."

"Wow, buddy, you've really never attended the past 3 Halloween festivals at school?"

"No."

"Dude, they're gonna have games and food and a few rides too, and a haunted house on the football field!"

"Is that…true? I mean, our school is rather large but to have so many things going on in one place—"

"Well it's also open to the surrounding community, so the streets bordering the campus are reserved too." He slung an arm around him. "C'mon Kiku, it'll be fun!"

"Mm…"

"Please, for me, your bestest buddy Alfred? It won't be as fun if you don't go…"

Kiku almost wanted to slap him for giving him the puppy-dog look again. When he realized Alfred refused to waver, he gave a heavy sigh, smiling at him. "Very well, I will go."

"Yay! Alrighty, let's get that costume!" He darted off to the first aisle of male costumes. Matthew chuckled, walking at a steady pace alongside Kiku.

"That look gets me too."

"What?"

"When Al gives you 'the look', you know, when he gazes at you like a puppy."

"O-Oh… Well, I will admit that it's…difficult to say no to him when he looks at me like that… It takes a lot of effort to resist Alfred-san when he makes that cute face… Not that I think he's cute or anything of the sort! I mean perhaps he may be attractive to s-some people but—"

His face flared up when the younger Jones twin laughed at him. He patted his head. "I understand Kiku." _A lot more than you think, heh heh. I wonder how this'll play out?_ "Well, do you have an idea of what you want to dress up as?"

"Not in the faintest… I never gave much thought to celebrating Halloween."

"What about something from your culture? Manuel used to do that. What did he say it was called…? Oh, a calavera, I think?"

"…I don't know what that is."

"Uhm…if I remember, he said it means 'skull' in Spanish, so he'd paint his face like a skull but it was really colorful… Oh! I think it had something to do with the Mexican holiday that honors the dead…erm, Day of Dead, yeah. I don't know if he's going to do that this year though. He hasn't been himself after our party because of…_him._"

Kiku nearly flinched at hearing the venom in his tone. "Yes, I've noticed… Poor Manuel-san. It isn't the same if he isn't smiling all the time."

"Well hopefully Antonio can help. He hasn't left his side ever since this school year started."

Matthew led his friend to an aisle with costumes, but nothing caught Kiku's attention. He left the other alone for a while as he searched the aisles for something suitable. "Because of my slender build, nothing here will look right…" Out of curiosity he walked into the women's aisle. "And if I were female, nothing here would be suitable to me either… There is 'sexy' labeled on everything… Oh, but this cat one is cute… Perhaps I can make my own costume. Hmm, yes, I think I will."

Kiku ventured on to the props on the other end of the store. From scary medieval statues to dismembered plastic limbs, he tried to look for some sort of inspiration. The dead silence of the area helped him concentrate a bit. "I don't want to be something that everyone else is going to be. Vampires, werewolves, ghosts, zombies—urgh, I want it to look good." He stopped by a skull with glowing eyes that began to talk next to severed heads. "Hmm…"

"There you are Kiku!"

He shrieked when a hand was placed on his shoulder. Alfred retracted his arm. "I'm sorry! Didn't mean to scare you."

"Th-That's fine Alfred-san…" He held a hand to his heart. "Did you find a costume you liked?"

"Yup!" He presented the wrapped packaging to Kiku. _Of course he'd pick this one. Why didn't I see this coming?_ "I see."

"What? You don't like it?"

"No, it's not that." He smiled. "You're just very predictable. Captain America, Alfred-san?" He shook his head, giving a chuckle and walking down the aisle to look at the rest of the props.

"Captain America is awesome, okay?! Everybody dresses as Batman or Superman. Besides, I look like Steve, dontcha think?"

"From the movie, yes."

"Exactly! So it's perfect!"

"If you ask me, this costume doesn't do you justice."

"What do you mean?"

"I've looked at all the costumes here and they aren't of a good quality."

"Well yeah, 'cause they're made en masse."

"Exactly. Therefore, may I make an offer?"

"Offer? Uh, sure! What is it?"

"I'll make you a Captain America costume, one that is sure to look much better, Alfred-san."

"Really Kiku? But that's gonna take a lot of work and I'd feel bad—"

"You have done so much for me this year. This is the least I can do for you, my best friend."

"Uhm…w-well, okay, thanks…! But are you sure—"

"Yes, do not worry Alfred-san. It won't be like the one in the movie of course, but it'll be a much better quality than this. Better to save our money on sewing supplies and fabric to make our costumes the best. If I'm going to this Halloween event with you, then I'm going to make sure our costumes are superb."

"Oh…well…geez, thanks! Heh heh, I'm excited now! Guess I'll put this back then." Kiku followed him to the aisle where he had selected his costume. "Hey, so those times when I saw you in your room making costumes…?"

"Ah, that is a little side job I do for people. I make cosplays for those who like frequenting conventions. As long as I have good reference pictures, I can probably make it."

"Woah."

"What?"

"Kiku, you keep straight A's even with a job, you draw awesome, you play a sport, you cook and do all this housework, you take awesome photos, you make _costumes_—you're like…like…like perfect, on top of being cute too!"

The Japanese teen felt himself heating up as he tucked a lock of hair behind his ear. "Uhm…"

"W-Well y'know…I mean…like…y'know…" He rubbed the back of his neck, cheeks rosy. "…uhm…yeah." Alfred chuckled nervously. "If…if y'know…I were a chick or…or you…you were one…uhm…o-or if I were…w-well if I were into guys…I'd totally…"

"…?" Kiku looked up at him, taking notice of the blonde's reddening face as he looked at the ground. He laughed nervously again as he removed his glasses, cleaning the lenses with the end of his shirt.

"M-Man that fog machine is really something huh? Glasses got all murky h-ha ha…" He felt his heart racing and his pores beginning to sweat. _It's sorta hot in here…_

"Alfred-san, uhm I think your glasses are clean now. You're being very vigorous with them…"

"O-Oh. Well wouldja lookit that! Guess they are!" He placed them back on his face. "S-So let's go find Matt, yeah?"

"Y-Yes, and then we can go to a fabric store."

"S-Sounds like a plan."

They walked to the front of the store, Matthew coming out from behind a corner of the aisle next to them. He smiled knowingly, shaking his head. "Oh brother."

* * *

Arthur gave a heavy sigh, slouching in his seat at the library computers. "Does Gilbert even know how to structure a bloody story? My God, I might just have to rewrite everything. This is going way too fast for proper development…"

Lovino approached the computer next to him. "Is this seat taken? No? Good." He nearly tossed his backpack on the floor, slumping in the seat next to Arthur.

"Yes, go right ahead Vargas…" He stared at the disgruntled Italian. "I really don't want to ask, but might as well take a break from this disaster of a script. Why do you look pissed, Lovino?"

"Nothing."

"Alright then—"

"It's fucking Antonio."

"Having boyfriend troubles? Ah."

"So you know how every Halloween there's a costume contest for single and group costumes? Well we were gonna do a group one."

"Of what?"

"Little Red Riding Hood. See, Sanne was gonna be Red, Antonio the woodsman, I was gonna be the granny—shut up Arthur—and it was gonna be awesome, but then he insisted we also have a wolf because otherwise it wouldn't work, which is stupid because we don't _need _all the characters. So then Sanne asked her big brother to be the wolf but he and Antonio hate each other so now he doesn't wanna do the group thing but we already have our costumes done and the festival is this Friday! And now Antonio decided he wants to be a pirate with that fucking French bastard so they're entering the contest as a pair and Sanne's brother has now made plans to go with his friends at their college thing and—ugh!"

"I see."

"Why did he change at the last minute?! Stupid Feli always gets somewhere in the top 3 for the costume contests and I gotta beat him!"

"Just get another wolf."

"And where the fuck am I supposed to find somebody to be a wolf with Sanne and me?"

"How should I know? Don't ask me as I have already decided on my costume."

"You know Sherlock Holmes gets old after a few years, right Arthur?"

"W-Well it's my costume and I can dress as Holmes as much as I please!"

Lovino huffed and crossed his arms, staring at the black computer screen. His fingers tapped rhythmically on his arm until a light bulb went off. "Oh, I think I know who I can ask. Hopefully he doesn't get upset."

"Glad you resolved your own problem." He went back to his script.

"So watcha working on?"

"Gilbert's writing. There are so many errors and he's so stubborn about his ideas that I'm pretty sure this script won't get very far."

"Why didn't you just write your own script?"

"I wanted to, but he absolutely insisted I write one with him. I thought it'd be less work but turns out it's more considering I'm doing everything at this point. I'm tempted to just submit my own script and put both our names on it because it isn't getting anywhere." He gave a heavy sigh. "What about you?"

"Eh, I didn't have any good ideas, but Antonio and Francis wanted to write some romantic shit so I decided to just join in. This project is stupid."

"Yes but if we don't do it, we don't graduate."

"Hmph. So, what's with you and Francis?"

"What?"

"You two are bothering me."

"How on earth are we bothering you?"

"You guys stopped talking completely and it feels unnatural."

"If that sexual felon chooses not to speak with me, then I'm not going to speak with him either."

"Geez, you guys act like a couple who're going through a rough patch, even when you're not together."

"We aren't a couple! Don't insinuate things like that!"

"I'm just telling you like it is." He rested the side of his head in his hand. "But you know, ever since you two stopped talking, that bastard hasn't made moves on anybody. Well, 'least not perverted ones. What'd you do to him?"

"Nothing, and if I did, then better for everyone that he stops with that behavior!"

"Not that I want him to continue making lewd comments at people and crap, trust me I'm glad that's over, but…like I said, something feels unnatural."

"What could possibly be unnatural about it?"

"Oh, yeah, now I know. You guys are always arguing about dumb shit, like every morning on the bus and even after school. Kinda miss it."

"I sure don't."

"You sure? 'Cause ever since he stopped talking to you, you blow up at people who aren't Francis. He was like…your punching bag or something, and now the rest of us gotta take it instead. It's bothering Antonio most of all, y'know being his _close friend_ and everything."

"I'm sure you can console your boyfriend plenty when you're alone."

"What're you trying to say?! You think all we do is fuck don't you?!" The increased volume in his voice caused curious stares to be thrown his way from other students. Lovino blushed, clearing his throat, trying to his face behind a text book. "I'll have _you_ know asshole," he began again in a hushed tone. "that what he and I do in our free time doesn't always involve…getting intimate when nobody's home, alright?!"

"So it's still a frequent occurrence."

"Will you just shut the fuck up?!"

"Gladly. Your reddening face is all I need to know."

Lovino growled, grabbing his things and standing up. "It's a bad idea to talk to somebody like you on my off days."

"Somebody like me?"

"Yeah, like what Kiku called you once. What was that term…? Oh, I think it was tsun-something…_tsundere_, yeah, there we go. People like you are hard to deal with."

"_I'm_ hard to deal with? I think you better ask that lover of yours how he handles you so well, both in and out of the bedroom."

"See?! You're even picking up the way Francis would normally talk about these things!"

"I am not!"

"You miss him, just admit it."

"Good _day_, Lovino."

Rolling his eyes, he walked away grumbling. Arthur seethed with anger, and a bit of embarrassment. "I don't miss him… I absolutely do not miss him…" He tapped his fingers on the desk. "…I could…take Lovino's suggestion and be something else this year though…" Glancing at the Halloween decorations at the center display of the library, Arthur raised an eyebrow at the skull that caught his attention. "Hmm…"

* * *

"Aww yeah, this year's turnout is awesome!" Alfred said as he walked through the back gate to the school. "It's even decorated nicer!" He stood proudly in his Captain America costume, saluting people as he walked by. "And my costume is totally badass. Kiku, you're amazing."

"It was n-nothing."

"No it's definitely something! You even tailored Matt's costume!"

"I-It would have felt weird if I made one just for you…"

Matthew chuckled. "Well thanks Kiku. It's comfortable now." _Although I know the real reason is that it would've been suspicious if you only made Al's._ He slung his plastic axe over his shoulder.

"A lumberjack isn't really a scary costume."

"Captain America isn't either you know…"

"No, but it's badass." Alfred stroked his chin. "We should've been Thing 1 and Thing 2. Then we could've entered the group costume contest."

"People already mistake me for you in our normal clothes, especially when they're angry at something _you_ did. I don't want them to have an even bigger reason for it…"

"So you gonna go look for Feli, Kiku?"

"Well I thought we all agreed to enter the haunted house together?"

"Oh! Yeah! That's right!"

The trio walked through the labyrinth of booths and festive visitors to the football field where an impossibly large haunted house was stationed.

"…this is…incredible." Kiku glanced up at the second story. "How did they make this?"

Matthew laughed. "When our school got a bigger budget, they decided to try something different the past three years. There's this company that delivers temporary haunted houses. It takes about two weeks to set it up though."

"But how did they even get it here?"

"It's on wheels when it isn't stationary, eh, well most of it anyway. Kinda hard to explain!"

"Well then I shall just enjoy it for today, and figure out the technicalities later." Kiku watched as Alfred ran to Feliciano who was already waiting in the line with most of their friends.

"Uwah Alfred! You look really cool!" the peppy Italian chirped.

"Thanks! You look pretty good yourself! More cute than scary though."

"Well I don't wanna be scary! Besides, we're gonna enter the costume contest! Right Kiku?!"

"Yes."

"You look soooo cute! Your costume is really nice!"

Feliciano decided that he was going to enter in the school's costume contest once again. He had won third place his freshman year, second place in sophomore year, and first place in junior year. Now his senior year, he didn't really mind if he lost, but he wasn't going to spend his last year not trying. So with much begging and a little even blackmailing, he convinced Ludwig, Elizaveta, Roderich, and even Kiku to enter the group costume contest in a Wizard of Oz theme.

"All of your costumes are finely made as well."

"Yeah! I wanted to be Dorothy but Liz said she'd fit it better…"

"Of course I do. And you make a cute lion anyway Feli!"

"I do, don't I? Hee hee! Ludwig is a good Tin Man! It took forever to get that face paint on."

"This costume isn't exactly easy to move in… It's not a good idea to go into this haunted house which requires running."

"Aww…but you're big and scary anyway so the ghouls might run away from you instead! Roderich doesn't look much different in his wizard costume… You just look fancy…"

"You didn't expect me to actually wear a wizard hat, did you?"

"Well…" He pouted when the Austrian sighed, and then turned to Kiku. "But Kiku! You're the cutest, and it's not fair!"

"I just wanted to look like an authentic scarecrow so I watched the movie the week before I started making this costume…"

Alfred smiled as Kiku conversed with Feliciano. Emily had a hard time letting them go because she wouldn't stop taking pictures of him. She cooed over how adorable he was as a scarecrow, and was a little sad she'd be passing out candy without her three darlings to entertain the kids.

"Feli! Your costumes are really good!" Antonio and Francis approached them. They were both wearing elaborate pirate captain outfits that attracted a considerable amount of attention from their female peers.

"Wah, thanks Antonio! You and Francis look really cool too!"

"But of course ~!" The Frenchman adjusted his hat. "We spent all our leisure time making them as realistic as possible. _Maman_ helped me with mine for more technical details."

"Same here. _Mamá_ wanted to make sure we won the contest!"

"Dontcha think that shirt is open just a _little_ too much, bastard?"

The Spaniard turned around to find Lovino and Sanne walking up to them.

"Lovi! You went with the costume after all?"

"Of course. I wasn't gonna let down Sanne unlike some asshole I know."

"I'm sorry…" he apologized to the Belgian girl. "But…"

"No, it's okay Antonio. I understand!"

"You look _muy bella_ in your red cloak!"

"Thank you!"

"Heh heh, and of course Lovi looks cute as always!"

"I wanted to bring a plastic rifle with me so people know I ain't somebody you can fuck around with but _mamma_ thought that would ruin the costume…" He walked up to his younger brother, pointing a finger. "I refuse to be beaten again this year, Feli!"

"L-Lovi why do you always get like this every Halloween…? You're not possessed are you?"

"You're a fucking idiot, little brother."

Francis crossed his arms. "Not to discourage you or the lovely Sanne, but Feli has a much larger group, and Antonio and I have magnificent costumes."

"Yeah? You haven't seen our wolf yet. I just wish he'd get here already!"

The line started to grow longer for the haunted house, and Alfred could hear visitors screaming inside. Kiku noticed his slight tremble. "We don't have to go in if you don't want, Alfred-san."

"I'm not scared!"

"I didn't say you were."

"L-Look we're almost at the front and we've waited here for a while so no backing out! Heroes don't back out, especially not Captain America!"

Matthew glanced around while his twin and Kiku chatted, but his heart stopped when he saw Katyusha walking towards him in the loveliest gown he ever did see. She spotted him and trotted over to where he was standing, his face gradually turning pink.

"K-K-Katyusha! H-Hello."

"Hello Matthew! I'm sorry but…I lost Ivan and Natalia!"

"What are they wearing?"

"Well, Ivan is dressed like a bear, and Natalia sort of looks like a ghost… We don't have matching costumes, but I wanted to…to attempt to enter the single contest this year, so I decided to look like some sort of frost queen. Uhm, yes something along those lines! How does it look…? You're always honest with me."

"B-Bea…well your costume is really nice and…white! It sure stands out. You look…really pretty in it, Katyusha."

Her cheeks turned rosy. "Th-Thank you Matthew!" She smiled sweetly at him. He could've sworn his heart skipped a few beats. "I hope you don't think this is a bother but…well, can I stay with you for a while, until I find my brother and sister?"

"O-Of course! I was gonna enter the haunted house right now but if you don't want to—"

"No, I do! I don't mind!"

Both of them caught somebody running past them to where Lovino and Sanne were standing. Panting as he put his hands on his knees, he collected himself and said, "I'm here, I'm here!"

"Manny! Took you long enough!"

"Hey you wanted this costume to look good so I made sure of it! I think I might have to redo my face though…"

"You shouldn't have ran!"

"How else was I supposed to get here when you wouldn't stop texting me?!"

"Well, your costume still looks fine anyway. We're gonna win for sure!"

"I dunno. Feli's group looks pretty good."

"Thank you Manny! You make a cute wolf!"

"I'm not supposed to be cute!"

Lovino rubbed his eyes, giving a heavy sigh. "Okay, well if we can at _least_ get third place, it wouldn't have been a total loss!"

"This is your wolf?" Antonio asked. He smiled. "Manny you did a good job with your costume!"

"It was last minute but _thankfully_ I had planned to be a werewolf this year anyway." He crossed his arms. "…aren't there rules or something of how much skin a person can show, 'cause this isn't a swimming competition. Your shirt doesn't need to expose your entire torso."

"I'm not that exposed! And it's part of my costume!"

"You're gonna give girls a heart attack. Sanne and Liz won't stop staring." The two girls quickly turned away, giggling.

"Well you will too with how cute you look!"

"Holy shit I'm not supposed to be cute! Look! _Fangs!_ See I have _fangs_ and I tried to make my hair look like a wolf's mane! I needed a lot of reference pictures!"

"But what's wrong with being cute? I really like your costume! Ha ha, I think you did a good job with it!" He tapped his painted nose, Manuel slapping his hand away.

"Don't do that." He hoped the face paint hid the reddish color on his cheeks.

"The ears and tail are a nice touch too."

He grumbled something in Spanish under his breath, Antonio chuckling as he patted his head. "But if I were the judge of the contest, I'd give you a place in the top 3 rankings!"

"…is it really that good?"

"_¡Si! _I can tell you put a lot of thought into it!"

"I didn't wanna disappoint Sanne or _tu novio._"

"Well they'd be crazy to be disappointed." He smiled at him, getting a somewhat sheepish smile in return.

"Yeah, it's pretty good Manny," Lovino said, feeling a little uncomfortable with how his boyfriend was complimenting the other. "C'mon, we're almost next. Once we get this haunted house over with, we can go and submit our entries for the contest."

The line finally got to their large group, but they had to go in smaller numbers so as not to overwhelm the hallways. Matthew went with Katyusha, while Alfred partnered up with Kiku.

"Alfred-san."

"Y-Yeah?"

"Though my hand isn't made out of straw like an actual scarecrow, you're going to turn my bones into just that with how tightly you're grasping it…"

"S-Sorry… Eh, oh!" He walked in front of Kiku. "It's not hero-like for a civilian to walk in front of me in such a dangerous place like this, especially one made out of straw!"

He turned white like a sheet when he saw a cloaked figure walking towards them down the hall.

"D-Don't worry Kiku!" He barricaded him with his large stature, holding the trademark shield in front of them. "I'll protect you!" He felt smaller hands tugging vigorously at the fabric of his sleeve. "What?"

All he needed was for Kiku to point up. Alfred did a double-take as the cloaked figure in the distance was gone, and when he turned around, it was standing right behind them, glowing red eyes leering into their very souls.

"…"

"Alfred-s-s-s…"

"RUN, KIKU, RUUUUUN!" He grabbed his hand and dragged him down the hallway, even passing other patrons through the various twists and turns that he eventually gave up and just carried Kiku in his arms, running, running, _running_ like hell to find the exit. Every ghoul only made him run faster, Kiku half afraid and half embarrassed at the whole thing.

He bolted out of the exit with his scarecrow friend nearly plastered to his chest.

"Alfred-san!" Kiku said as he wouldn't stop running, passing some of his friends, Matthew trying to chase after them.

"Nononononononononononoooooooo!"

"Get a hold of yourself! You've ran all the way to the neighborhood street!"

"Wh-What?"

He saw children going from door to door, asking for candy. He looked behind him and saw the school a few yards away. "Oh… Uh…" He set him down. "S-Sorry…"

"It's…fine…"

"Ah h-ha ha but we made it out alive! See? I protected you, just like I said I would!"

Giving a small sigh, Kiku replied, "Yes, you did. Thank you Alfred-san. Is this where I say, 'my hero' or something along those lines?"

He scratched his cheek. "Well…y-you don't have to, but if you want…you can… I don't mind."

"You are a very good hero, Alfred-san. Uhm…and I mean that in the literal sense…"

"Huh?"

"Well…I know that, you think heroes are like the ones found in comic books but…there are everyday heroes as well, like firefighters, policeman, doctors…and…a-and you as well. I consider you my hero for everything that you and your family have done for me… For being such a good person… So…so…! To me, you really are a hero, whether you wear a costume or not, Alfred-san!"

The American caught his breath for a moment, his face hot and red underneath his mask. He removed it, wiping his brow of sweat, fiddling with it in his hands. "Kiku I…I don't know…what to say I mean…damn. Th-Thanks. I'm glad I could actually be somebody's hero! That makes me really, really happy!"

Kiku could never get over how handsome Alfred was. With his glasses he was adorable, but those rare moments when he wore his contact lenses, well, he took his breath away every instance. He admired so many things about his tall blonde friend, and when he smiled at Kiku, it made his heart flutter with joy and pride, joy because of how good Alfred was to him, and pride because he was lucky to have let such a person into his life, and into his heart.

"I'm…I'm really happy too that, well that you're happy! It brings a smile to my face when you're happy."

"Hope I'm not interrupting anything."

Alfred screamed and smacked whoever was behind him with the back of his hand. He turned around and saw that he had hit Arthur in the face.

"You idiot!"

"Well don't scare me like that Artie! It was a reflex!"

"My nose is all bloody now!"

"Not my fault!"

"It's going to stain my costume!"

"Oh, you're another gaudy pirate like Toni and Francis?"

"I refused to be shown up by those two morons on Halloween."

Panicking a little, Kiku fussed over his English friend. "Arthur-san, we really must get you to a restroom!"

"Kiku it's really—"

"No! Just look up at the sky and I will lead you to the nearest one."

"Well if you're being so insistent about it…"

Alfred watched as the two began to walk back to the campus, Arthur no doubt complaining about how much of an imbecile the American was, but he was glad that there wasn't any awkward tension after the unfortunate subconscious confession over the summer.

Putting his mask back on, the spandex-clad hero followed behind them, trying to sort out his thoughts. He watched as Kiku tended to Arthur's bleeding nose, Alfred drowning out all noise as he smiled at his small friend, rose-colored cheeks everlasting.

* * *

Things hardly worked out in Lovino's favor. His costume got ruined by a careless passerby who accidentally dropped food on it. He was so frustrated he cursed him out in Italian, Sanne apologizing for his behavior.

"Lovi it's not that bad…"

"Yeah it is! Now we can't compete because the costumes have to look nice and I've let you down and Manny too! You both worked hard on them!" He tossed his granny cap on the ground. "And now Feli is gonna win again even though…!"

"Lovi please don't cry!"

"I ain't c-cryin'…!" he blubbered. "I'm just…! …so fuckin' frustrated!"

"It's alright! Really!" She picked up his cap, dusting it off. "It's just a silly contest! People will forget about it in a week or two, okay?" She put it back on his head, wiping his tears away with a finger. "To be honest, I didn't really care about winning. I was just happy I could dress up with you! Halloween is a lot more fun if you dress up with friends, right?"

"…guess so."

"The fact that I was the first person you asked to be a part of your group, well it made me giddy! I was really excited! So don't feel bad, okay Lovi? You tried your best, and that's what matters!"

"…thanks… I'm sorry about back there, y'know with my angry shouting…"

"It's okay. Why don't we just enjoy ourselves? They have games here we can play, or are you hungry?"

"I kinda like to eat when I'm upset."

"Then let's get some food. I'm sure that'll cheer you right up!"

Lovino smiled at her. "Yeah, okay. Uh, hey, where'd Manny go?"

"I'm not sure… He got angry when you started shouting at that guy. I think he left. He probably figured the same thing as you, that we wouldn't be able to enter the contest."

It was true. Manuel was frustrated with the way things went. He had stressed himself out trying to make his costume likeable, only to have the objective stripped away from him. But, tonight was supposed to be fun, and he wasn't going to let this incident or anything else bring him down.

At least, that's what he thought until he saw Alfred approaching him.

"Uh…h-hey…!"

He walked away from him.

"Manny c'mon! I really need to talk with you!" He ran in front him, blocking his path. "Please…?"

The other refused to look at him.

"…I know it's…difficult now…because…of what happened…but…"

"…not here."

"What?"

"Alfred I don't wanna talk about this right now."

"Well…then, when can you talk about it?"

"…I don't know. I can't even…look at your face sometimes."

"But you don't have to, at least not tonight. I'm wearing a mask, see?"

"I'm sorry. Just…give me more time, _¿porfavor?_"

He sighed, shoulders slouching. "…okay."

"…your costume's pretty good."

"Thanks. Kiku made it. Yours is pretty cool too…"

He only gave a slight nod before walking away, leaving Alfred to stare at his back with a downcast expression.

"You really should try, you know."

"Antonio don't _do_ that."

"Do what?"

"Creep out of shadowy places!"

"Ah ha, I'm sorry, didn't mean to scare you!"

"So how did the contest go?"

"It hasn't started yet. In a few minutes I think they'll make an announcement."

"I am trying…"

"Huh?"

"…it's just difficult getting that bastard's face out of my head. And when I look at Alfred or Matthew…like I can't even call them by their nicknames anymore, the ones I always used to refer to them by…because then…I just see _him._"

"Oh Manny…"

"I am trying, honest. Therapy's kinda helping… I won't feel completely better until I know for sure that piece of shit is behind bars and dies." He looked up at Antonio. "And y'know, you've kinda been really attentive of me ever since the party so…uh, _gracias._ I really appreciate it."

"I just want you to get better, is all. I worry a lot about you."

"Well I'm fine."

"Manuel."

"…or I will be…soon. I think."

"And I'll help you however I can, okay?"

"You've already helped a lot. And I'm not saying that so you can leave me alone. You have a boyfriend to think about and this summer you haven't really spent a lot of time with him."

"But I always spend a lot of time with Lovi. It's not fair to you, is it?"

"…I don't blame you for what happened. Not anymore, anyway. And I'm sorry. I shouldn't have. It wasn't your fault. It wasn't anybody's, except that pervert's… So you don't have to keep spending so much time with me—"

"I like spending time with you though. I really missed it."

"Yeah, I did too…"

"Besides, Lovi understands, and well…if he doesn't, I'll have to have a talk with him. I love you both, you know that right?"

"Yeah… Guess I love…y'know the thing you said…yeah me too…"

Antonio chuckled. "_Que lindo eres._" He heard the announcement for the costume contest. "Well I gotta go. Wish me luck!" He kissed the top of his head, Manuel's eyes widening at the gesture.

"Wh-What the fuck was that for?!"

"It's called a good luck kiss!"

"That's a thing you do with Lovino for crying out loud!"

"But he's not here. And if I had asked for one, you wouldn't have given it to me."

"Of course not! That's…just plain weird!"

He only laughed, waving at him as he hurried to the stage in the distance. Manuel crossed his arms, a bit peeved. "That guy really is an idiot…" Groaning, he covered his face, skin growing hot beneath his hand. "I still win first place for being the biggest one in the universe… I really do wish he'd just leave me alone and maybe even ignore me. I don't want problems with Lovino because of all this attention, especially now that…I think…I think that I'm…"

His stomach growled. "Urgh, yeah, I'm hungry."

* * *

The results of the contest were to be expected. Feliciano's group won first place, followed by Antonio and Francis, and then Tino and his group who dressed up like possessed toys. Katyusha won the single contest first place. She just looked so radiant! Arthur managed second place with his haunted pirate costume. And after much convincing, Alfred entered as well, winning third place. He saluted the crowd, a big smile on his face.

They got home just in time to help Emily with the remaining trick o' treaters who came to their door. The little kids really liked Alfred who took it upon himself to role-play for them. Kiku thought it was amusing that he was enjoying himself so much.

"Tired Kiku?" Emily asked as she locked the front door.

"Yes, but in a good way. I had a lot of fun at the festival. I also handed in my script to Rosales-sensei. She was dressed as a kangaroo."

"How cute!"

"Yes. I think I'm going to turn in early though." He looked to the couch where both the twins were already knocked out.

"Aww, well okay sweetie. Good night! Don't forget to take off your facepaint!"

"I won't. Good night, Jones-san."

Removing everything was a hassle, but it was worth participating with all his friends. Kiku had hoped that the script he sent in to Mrs. Rosales would at least be taken into consideration with the theater department. _Underneath the Cherry Blossoms_ is what he had titled his script. It was a periodical tale of romance in a fictional kingdom, between a young common handyman and the fair princess of the crown. To him it sounded cliché, but he hoped that the department head would like it.

He also hoped that none of his friends would catch on that the protagonist was heavily based—if not completely—on a certain blonde American.

* * *

A/N: If you think drawing is easy, I challenge you to take an art class in college. You will be crying mid semester if you go into it with that attitude, I can guarantee you. And if you really want to land yourself into an early grave, take more than one. So yeah, what I mean to say is, because my major is animation, it's difficult for me to find time to write anything because of all the work, but thankfully I managed to get this chapter done on time! Tried to juggle character spotlights again, but I don't know if it flowed well, so please do tell me what you think. I couldn't resist giving our lovable blonde oaf a Captain America costume ha ha.

For those of you who contacted me about doujins, I'm sorry for the delay in responses. I'll get back to you, don't you fret!

The school play event will get its own chapter I'm thinking, as it's actually a scrapped idea I had for an Ameripan story. So basically Kiku wrote a fanfic about his favorite otp, him and Alfred, heh heh!

Now I'm going to eat something and watch a Halloween movie that won't traumatize me for life. (I'm a chicken—my biggest fear is ghosts.) I wish I had _The Nightmare Before Christmas_ but I lost it... I'm sad. Hmm, guess I'll choose between _Corpse Bride_ or _Frankenweenie_ instead! If you have either Pokemon X or Y, later tonight I'm going to do the Halloween Wonder Trade Challenge. So if you get a Pumpkaboo, Noibat, Litwick, or any other spooktastically cute Pokemon from somebody named Tori, yeah that's probably me ha ha! Have a Happy Halloween ~ ! ;D


	20. Turbulence

Chapter 20: Turbulence

All eyes were on Mrs. Rosales as she leaned against the front of her desk. She looked around the room at the faces of anticipation of her students. She smiled at the quiet eagerness of their expressions. "So it's November, and the Theater Department has finally sorted through our homeroom's scripts for the senior play. Now before I tell you which one won, I want to let you know that, despite grammatical errors in some of your scripts, the head of the department enjoyed most of your ideas and thinks you should keep these for a future project, if you so wish. I was very proud to hear that! But let's get to the part you all care about."

Swiping a paper that was situated in front of her chair, she glanced at it and then back at her class. A smile wove its way into her face, and she chuckled. "The play that our senior class homeroom will be doing is _Underneath the Cherry Blossoms._"

Receiving confused stares and the usual handful of comments, "Who the heck wrote that?" "What?" "Is this gonna be a foreign script?" "Okay mine wasn't picked but can I please be the director anyway?" among others, she replied, "The person who wrote this script wishes to remain anonymous. But yes, said person who wrote it choose to not direct it for their own personal reasons, so they have suggested that somebody else take their place."

"Oh! Oh! Ooooooh! Can I direct it?"

"Alfred, I'm afraid that you can't."

"What? Why?! C'mon Mrs. Rosales, pleeeeease?"

"Despite your good marks in your English courses, you uh… how can I put this…? Well when your English teachers assign you extra credit journals to write short stories, you always make them so grandiose and filled with a lot of… uhm, oddities and _stuff_ and action and things that don't make the story flow as smoothly, so they told me to not let you direct. Oh, and they also advised me to advise _you_ to take creative writing courses in college to better organize your thoughts when writing fiction."

His peers snickered, Alfred pouting and slumping in his seat with his arms crossed. "I didn't know what to write for those things, but I bet I can do a better job than anybody else in this class…"

Mrs. Rosales shook her head. "Anyway, we're scheduled for auditions after school on Friday, so you must all be there in order to receive credit. I know it's last minute notice, but the head takes forever deciding on these things… Unless it's an emergency, you cannot skip out on this, understand?"

"Yes Mrs. Rosales…" the class droned.

"Good, good! Well come on now. Come up and get a copy of the script and read through it so you can all decide on parts. I want to know which character or characters you're auditioning for, or what production position you want. I need to know by Friday morning so I can turn it in to the department before lunch!"

The bell rang, dismissing the students to first period.

* * *

"Alfred-san, you're not still upset about what happened in homeroom are you?" Kiku asked as Alfred skimmed through lines.

"…no why would you think that?"

"Because you look very sour and it's been 3 days since then."

His trademark pout was all Kiku needed to know. "I see. Well, change of topic then, which part did you wish to audition for?"

"Well I read through the whole thing, and I really like the male lead! This guy's the hero right?"

"Wh-Why are you asking me?"

"Uh, 'cause you read the script too? Duh."

"O-Oh. Yes, I did. Well, yes, I think you'd be perfect as the male protagonist."

"Heh heh, thanks! That's the part I'm gonna audition for then! What about you?"

"Oh, I want to be assistant director."

"Aww, you're not gonna come out in the play?"

"No, I'm not very good at acting."

"How do you know if you haven't tried?"

"Believe me, I'm not cut out for this particular field."

"Well, alright. If you say so."

The bigger roles were left for the end of the audition once the theater head decided who got what parts after hearing them.

"Alright darlings, now time for the male lead! Let's see who we've got."

Arthur walked up first. The head sighed and said, "Arthur honey, you've already auditioned for 2 other parts."

"Yes, but Mrs. Speare, I think—"

"Okay okay, whatever. Let's see what you've got."

He cleared his throat. "Good morning, your highness—"

"Stop. Get out."

"Wh-What? Why?"

"I'm not feeling it."

"I've only said 4 words!"

"You're too stuffy. Did you even pay attention to the type of character the lead is? Or did you just skim through this script?" She swatted her hand at him. "I'm giving you the role of the male lead's mother." The haughty woman jotted down Arthur's name next to the character.

"WHAT?!"

"In the old days when drama first began, it was an all-male cast, even the female roles. This is why we have costumes and make-up in the entertainment industry. Get over it Kirkland or get lost and fail your community service requirement. All the production roles are filled already so no hope there. Next!"

As hard as he tried to keep the smile on his face, he nearly ripped the script in half and walked down the stage steps to the seats. Gilbert chuckled, resting his arms on the top of the seat next to his. "You and Franny are gonna be the lead's parents. He auditioned for the father you know. Ain't that a coinkidink?"

"I'm _aware_ thank you!"

Mrs. Speare rubbed her forehead as more guys auditioned for the protagonist role. "I leave the biggest role for last and this is the kind of acting I get? I understand you're high school students but at least put effort into it! Alright, last person, come on up."

Alfred walked up on stage radiating confidence, and smiled.

"Okay Jones, go. I have to meet my husband for dinner in half an hour so I don't have all day."

He looked at the dialogue he highlighted, then tossed the script on the floor, putting his hands in his pockets. "Good morning, your highness! Oh, pardon my manners, ha ha!" He bowed, taking his hands out of his pockets, putting a hand to his chest. "Mornings are always so nice in the spring huh? Fair and warm, like you are today! Not that you're not always fair and warm, because you are!" He scratched the back of his head. "Wh-What I mean to say is… ah." He coughed. "Well I'm here to fix… well whatever it was I was called to the palace to do! It won't take long." He paused, knowing that this is where her dialogue came in. "Oh, no you don't gotta pay me anything! Just let me be the palace's handyman, and I won't ever need compensation. It's a pleasure being in your presence. Always makes me feel comfortable, like if I was embraced by a soft warm blanket. Ah, th-that sounded weird, huh? Ah ha ha… Well, gotta get to that thing that… I uh, gotta do! I'll look for whatshisname, the servant guy! Excuse me, your highness."

He looked at Mrs. Speare with a hopeful face. She stared at him, her cheek resting on her hand, elbow propped up on the armrest of the seat. Feeling a little defeated, Alfred picked up the script and began to walk off.

"I have found my male lead!" she exclaimed, shooting up and spreading her arms like wings. Arthur's mouth hung open, Gilbert laughing obnoxiously behind him. Kiku smiled. _Of course Alfred-san would get it. I wrote the character in such a way to make sure he would be the only one suitable for it._

"This is absurd! Mrs. Speare he improvised on the whole paragraph!"

"And what do you think actors _do_ Kirkland? Honestly. Jones can't write a comprehensible story but he's one hell of an actor, a natural even! My male lead!" She wrote down his name next to the role. "You really got into character. I'm a little proud even."

"YES!" Alfred punched the air, a wide toothy grin stretching itself onto his face. Arthur fumed.

"Okay, well that's everything. So as a reminder, these are your roles. The loud Jones is the male lead, the quiet Jones is the lead's brother, Kirkland and Bonnefoy, you're the parents, Wang is the king, other Wang you're the princess—" Mrs. Speare continued to read out the roles. "—and that should cover everybody in this homeroom. Practice starts next week Monday, after school. Do not be late! Now good bye I have a dinner to be at with my hot husband."

Alfred was chipper the rest of the day, bragging to his mother about the role he obtained. Emily was more than proud, praising both him and Matthew for getting big roles.

"I'm so excited for this play! Oh, I can't wait to see it! When does it come out?"

"The play will be held at the end of May," Matthew said. "So we have about 6 months to practice."

"Good good! Then I'm expecting the both of you to work very hard! Kiku, you didn't get a role?"

"I'm not good at acting, so I'm going to be the assistant director."

"Oh sweetie, don't get down on yourself."

"It's not that I'm discouraging myself, Jones-san. It's simply a matter of fact. I'm too stiff when it comes to channeling a different persona."

"But I'm sure if you practice, you'll get better!"

"Thank you for the encouragement, but this is a big part of our graduation requirement, and I don't want to ruin it for everybody."

"Well… alright, if that's how you truly feel… But if you were to get a role, which one would you have wanted?"

Kiku couldn't tell her that the heroine of the story was actually supposed to be a characterization of him in a feminine essence. "…I'm not actually sure. Because I was set on becoming an assistant director, I didn't give much thought to auditioning for one of the characters."

Alfred skimmed through the script. "Oh hey there's a kiss scene in here between the hero and the heroine towards the end. Sweet!"

"Who's the heroine?" Emily asked.

"Mei! You know, Yao's little sister? She got the part of the princess! It'll feel a little weird kissing a girl I haven't dated, but… well, if real actors can do it, then so can I!"

Emily smiled. "Mei is a pretty girl. Make that scene realistic Al! Put your heart into it!"

"I'll do my best!"

_Oh, that's right. Mei-chan got the part of the princess_, Kiku thought. _Though she's not at all like her in reality. I would know since I wrote it. I would've preferred anybody else get that part, even Arthur-san, but luck was not on my side this time…_

"Kiku?"

"Huh?"

"Are you okay? You look a little frustrated."

"I'm alright, Matthew-san. No need to fret about me, though I thank you for your concern."

_He's jealous. I can tell_, the younger twin thought as Kiku continued to read through the script while Alfred and Emily's conversation dragged on.

"Ah! Kiku!"

"Yes, Jones-san?"

"I've been meaning to ask you something. What are you going to do about Thanksgiving?"

"Uhm… clarify please?"

"Are you going to Yao's house?"

"…I… uhm… well I initially thought that I would be spending it with you and your family, as I have done the rest of this year." Emily stared at him, Kiku feeling like he crossed a boundary he should've stood behind. "I-I'm sorry, I didn't—I understand if it is an inconvenience and in that case I will speak to Yao-san about the—"

"But of _course_ you can have Thanksgiving with us! Your aunt and uncle did give me custody of you after all! …er, even though there are uh… no legal papers stating that, but that's nothing to worry about!" She shooed her hand. "I'm so excited you'll be joining us!"

Kiku smiled. "I'm excited myself, and eternally grateful that you still wish to include me in your holiday traditions."

"Oh sweetie, I love having you around! And you'll continue to be a part of this family for as long as you wish!"

"…then would I be overstepping my welcome in saying that…" The color in his cheeks began to match Emily's pink lipstick. "…I hope to be a part of your family… possibly forever…? If you would permit it… Jones-san?"

She squealed, trapping him in a trademark Jones bear-hug. "Of course I'll permit it! If you ever left, why, it'd just be unnatural! You've been with us for almost a year now, and to not have you around will feel like a crime!" She kissed his forehead.

"Thank you Jones-san. I honestly don't know how I'll ever repay you for your immense kindness and hospitality."

"Aww, don't worry about it! Just keep being the sweetheart you are and stay in school, and that'll be enough compensation!" She patted his head. "We're having Thanksgiving at my cousin's house this year."

"And where does your cousin live?"

"In Texas!"

Emily giggled at the shock that surged through Kiku's expression. "So you better pack your things the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, because Wednesday evening we're taking a flight there!"

"Oh boy!" Alfred slung an arm around Kiku's shoulder. "You'll finally get to see the horses! Maybe I can ask Dean if we can ride them this time? Wouldja like that Kiku?"

"I-I-I guess?"

"Awesome!"

Matthew chuckled.

November strolled along as quickly as it had come, and soon it was late afternoon the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. Kiku was double checking his suitcase contents one last time, trying to balance his cellphone between his ear and shoulder as he spoke with Yao.

"—and don't forget to pack a first aid kit either! If Alfred is going to coerce you into riding horses, you need to be prepared!"

"Yao-san, coerce is such a strong word, and I'm not a small child. I know how to take care of myself, though I thank you for your concern."

He sighed. "Yes, I know! But I can't help but worry about you now that you don't live with us anymore, and Alfred has his ways of convincing people to do things! Be wary of 'the look' as it's very, very dangerous!"

"It sounds like you've had a lot of experience with this 'look'…"

"Kiku, everyone that Alfred has ever spoken to has seen 'the look' at least once in their life, and it never fails! Even stubborn people like Arthur and Manuel cannot resist those… pleading eyes he makes at everyone when he wants them to do something!" He groaned. "I don't know how he does it, but I feel like I kicked a puppy if I don't! So I'm just warning you!"

"I have already seen 'the look' Yao-san so I underst—"

"I knew it! Even the more reason for you to be careful!"

Rubbing his temple, Kiku sighed softly, rebalancing the phone on his shoulder. "I will. If there's anybody that can handle Alfred-san, it's me. And Matthew-san will be there too, so don't worry."

"You'll be in another state—"

"Which is not that far away, honestly."

"—so how can I not worry?" Growling, Yao rubbed his eyes, giving a heavy sigh. "I'm sorry, I probably sound like a mother."

"You act like that more than an older sibling, yes."

"I know, I know… Well, just be careful okay, and call me when you get there! Don't forget!"

"I promise I won't, Yao-san. Have a happy Thanksgiving."

"You too Kiku. And remember! Beware—"

"Yes yes, 'the look', I understood the first time Yao-san. Good bye."

He shoved his phone in his pocket, hauling his suitcase down to the foot of the front door, making sure he had all his bags. "I believe that is everything."

Kiku was surprised to find that Alfred's grandparents would be accompanying them. The jubilant reactions of Alfred and Matthew made Kiku chuckle, happy to see his friends so overjoyed.

"I didn't know you were coming!" Alfred said to his grandfather as they approached the terminal. "I didn't even know you were out of the hospital!"

"I wanted it to be a surprise!" he said. "The cancer threat is under control for now, so I feel right as rain and ready for travel! I told your mother and aunt to not tell you boys." He looked at Kiku. "And I'm surprised you're coming along! I didn't expect it!"

"I'm sorry—" He blushed when John laughed at him.

"What are you sorry for? I'm not upset or anything, just surprised! But don't worry Kiku, you'll have a good time at the ranch! It's big and beautiful!"

The flight to Texas was uneventful, except for the movie Kiku watched with Alfred and Matthew on the monitor in front of their seats. Alfred insisted they take a few movies to play on either of their laptops, so to satiate his boredom, Kiku allowed them to use his to watch Alfred's current favorite movie, _The Avengers._ He chuckled, stealing glances at Alfred whose eyes sparkled whenever the heroes displayed their dynamic righteous acts. _He really does look like the character of Captain America, albeit a younger version. It is almost uncanny even._

When they finally landed, Kiku nearly darted to the conveyor belt to grab his suitcase. He was wary of airports and for that reason, tried to travel as light as possible. He followed the Jones family to the pick-up area where a large mustachioed man and a familiar friendly face greeted them.

Dean gave Alfred a hug and followed suit with the rest. He grinned widely when he came to Kiku. "Well shoot! Wasn't expectin' you to come out here Kiku! I'm really happy!"

"I have similar sentiments, Dean-san." He gave a squeak when Dean hugged him.

"You don't gotta be so formal y'know!" He turned to Alfred. "Does your li'l friend here ever stop bein' so goshdarn adorable?"

"No, he's like that every single second of every single day."

Kiku turned beet red, Dean laughing and escorting him and the other visitors to the truck. He had never been to Texas, and the farthest he's ever traveled outside his city was to the national forest up north. He hoped his brief stay at the Jones ranch would be enjoyable.

He looked out the window of the car as they began to drive up to the gate. "Dean-san, is all this land… really yours?"

"Yup! We've got acres of farmland. It's how we get our revenue. It's alotta work maintainin' the place, but rewardin' at the end of the day."

Alfred breathed in the fresh air. "Ah, doesn't that smell good?" he asked Matthew.

"It sure does! I forgot how much I missed this place."

"Well, I'll show y'all to your rooms, yeah?" Dean signaled for them to follow. "Pops is gonna show your folks to their own rooms." The twins and Kiku followed Dean into the large house where his mother greeted them with hugs and kisses.

"And is this the Kiku that Emily's told me about?"

"Uhm, yes, that is me."

"Welcome to our ranch! You can call me Amanda, okay Kiku?"

"Yes, Amanda-san."

She laughed. "Emily told me 'bout that honorific style of speakin' you do. As respectable as it is to speak formally, don't be so shy around us, alright?"

"I'm sorry it's just… it's a habit of mine…"

"Aww, dontcha worry! It's no problem sweetheart." She wiped down the counter. "Emily was right though. You're cuter than a rabbit in a baby bonnet."

"Uhm th-thank you, Amanda-san."

Flustered, Kiku followed closely behind Dean to the rooms. "Now, even though this is a big house, we still don't have as many rooms to accommodate folks like at a hotel. Aunt Emily and Martha are sharin' one room, your grandparents another, and that leaves you boys with the last guest bedroom, although I dunno how you wanna share the beds."

He opened the door to reveal a quaint room with two large beds and a small couch against the wall. "You can put your stuff in the closet if you'd like," Dean said, opening the doors. "You guys have your own bathroom too behind that other door there. Have ya eaten anythin' yet?"

"We ate before we took the flight here," Matthew responded. "But thanks anyway Dean."

"Alright. Well, you must be tuckered out from the trip, so I'll leave you guys to yourselves. Breakfast is at 8am sharp, and the Thanksgivin' feast will be at 5pm! Don't forget! Well then, I better get to bed asap. Gotta take care of the turkey."

"You haven't bought the turkey, Dean-san?"

"Huh? Oh no, I mean I gotta slaughter one of our turkeys that we have here on the farm." He laughed as Kiku's eyes widened. "Don't worry! I get up early so none of y'all gotta see… things ya probably don't wanna see. G'night! Until mornin'! And if you hear gobblin' in the mornin'… ehm, just try to ignore it as best as possible, ah ha." With that, he exited their room, his footsteps dying out as he continued down the hall.

"…your relatives… they actually kill their own livestock?"

"Well yeah," Alfred said, putting away his clothes. "How do you think they get income? They have cattle, chickens, pigs, goats, turkeys, sheep, and horses! Dean's family likes to raise their animals the natural way by feeding them healthy food, in contrast to the hormonally enhanced animals everyone else usually eats. Which is good I guess, since a healthy animal makes a healthy person."

"Then why don't you stop eating so many burgers Al?"

"I never said that I agreed with Dean's way of life, Matt."

Once they washed up and settled into their pajamas, the dreading question had to be asked. The three boys stood at the center of the room, staring at the two beds.

"So how are we gonna do this?" Alfred asked. "Matt, you wanna—"

"Rock, Paper, Scissors."

"Why?"

"Because you have a habit of grabbing onto things in your sleep, and tossing and turning. And it's cold here and you'll steal the blanket."

"Oh c'mon I'm not that bad! And we have a gazillion blankets for that very reason!"

"Rock, Paper, Scissors. That is, if you don't mind the outcome Kiku?"

"I'm fine with whatever you choose, Matthew-san."

"Alright. Let's do it. Whoever wins gets the other bed to themselves for our stay here. Ready? I'll go with Al first. Rock… Paper… Scissors!"

"Shit, paper beats rock…"

"You lose Al."

"Not if my rock turns into an asteroid and obliterates your paper!"

"That doesn't count!" Matthew pushed up his glasses. "Okay Kiku, our turn. Ready?"

"Yes."

"Rock… Paper… Scissors!"

"Ah… I got Scissors… and you got Rock."

"Yeah. Guess I win. Although, if you're uncomfortable with the arrangement, it's fine. I'll share a bed with Al—"

"No I'm fine. You won fairly and I will not protest the outcome."

_That was a quick response._ Matthew tried not to let his smile turn into a smirk. "Okay. Well, guess that's that. Don't look so bummed out Al."

"Hmph. Kiku's a better bed partner than you anyway."

"How would you know that?"

"Because of the camping trip! He doesn't talk in his sleep about certain friends like some _other_ people I know."

Matthew's face went scarlet. "I do not talk about Katyusha in my sleep!"

"I never mentioned a name."

"Go to sleep you ass!"

Alfred laughed obnoxiously, Matthew burying himself under five layers of blankets, refusing to continue the conversation with his twin. Kiku shook his head and slipped into bed, a little nervous about the arrangement. _Why didn't I protest?! I must cease with these impulsive decisions or they will cost me greatly someday!_

"Something wrong Kiku?" Alfred asked. He set his glasses down on the nightstand, cracking his neck.

"N-No everything is fine. I'm just not used to sharing a bed with somebody."

"I can sleep on the couch if—"

"Please do not do that."

"Why?"

"Uhm… b-because it's very cold and you will need all the warmth you can get."

"Aww, you volunteering to be my teddy bear?"

"N-No! It just uhm… well think of it like penguins. In the harsh winter environment in which they live, the entire colony huddles together to share warmth during blizzards. I do not mind sharing mine with you, Alfred-san, as you constantly share yours with me in your kindness and hospitality."

Alfred stared at him with bewilderment. Kiku turned pink, feeling himself begin to sweat. "I'm sorry, that sounded strange. Uhm… I will sleep on the couch…"

"No. It's… it's okay. We need to get up early. I uh… asked Dean if he'd take us on the horses in the morning after he was done with the work. So… let's just… go to sleep, okay? Ah ha ha, I don't mind the arrangement so… s-so yeah…" He turned off the lamp, pulling the covers over him, his face red. "Uhm… g'night Kiku."

"…g-goonight, Alfred-san."

* * *

Matthew put away his toothbrush in the cup next to the sink, then walked back into the bedroom. Unlike Alfred, he remembered to wake up early for breakfast. Knowing his twin would be upset to have missed it, he shook his shoulder lightly, whispering, "Al. Alfred."

"…no mom jus… I jus took one piece of pie… I promi…ss…"

"Al." He shook him harder.

"Huh? Matt, what the hell?" he asked groggily, wiping a hand over his face.

"You don't wanna miss breakfast do you?"

"No…" He stood up, stretching. Looking to his left, he found Kiku still asleep, his face barely visible underneath all the blankets. "He's really warm to sleep with, like a penguin."

"What?"

"Nothing. Hey, Kiku…" He shook his shoulder lightly. "Kikuuuuuu."

"…mm…"

"Buddy."

Kiku's eyes scrunched at the disturbance at first, eventually blinking awake. "…Alfred-san?"

He grinned. "Wakey wakey. It's morning. Don't wanna miss breakfast, do you?"

"…no… I suppose not… It's just so cold…"

"Yeah, auntie will probably turn the heater on soon. She doesn't like to have it on while she's cooking. Tell you what, I'll use the bathroom first, and then you go, so you can stay cuddled in there like a burrito."

"…if you insist…" He turned over, slowly drifting back to sleep.

_I think Alfred's laziness is getting to Kiku…_ Matthew thought. _It's cute, but at the same time worrisome…_

Breakfast was plentiful and nutritious, but Kiku never wanted to leave the house again once he stepped outside. While Alfred and Matthew relished in the morning air of the ranch, Kiku wanted to recoil back to bed and hibernate.

"Ready to ride the horses?" Alfred asked him.

"I've never ridden one."

"Well it's fun! So long as you don't irritate them or anything. Not many people survive from getting stomped on by a horse or kicked in the face. They're hundreds of pounds of muscle!"

"…"

"Ah, not that they're not nice! Eh, j-just forget what I said, ah ha ha!" He coughed to clear his throat, finding Dean approaching them. "Uh, so can we still ride the horses?"

"So eager to ride 'em that I don't even get a good mornin' greetin' huh?"

"Good morning, Dean-san."

"Good morning Dean."

"Mornin' to you too Kiku, and Matt!" He grinned as Alfred huffed. "Well now, let's get y'all a horse. Follow me."

Kiku was embarrassed that he needed help mounting the horse, whereas Alfred and Matthew had no problem. Dean chuckled. "Aww, now don't be embarrassed Kiku," he said as he helped him climb on. "Horses are big animals, and well, you're pretty small in comparison."

"I'm small in comparison to virtually everyone I've known."

Dean laughed. "Well nothin' wrong with that. How do you think super tall people feel?" He mounted his own horse. "If you feel nervous, just ask Al for help. He knows how to handle horses too. But just be careful to not snap the reigns, otherwise the horse will start to run, and she's a pretty fast gal."

Kiku stood close to Dean, fearing his horse would be rebellious and take off suddenly. He watched as Alfred and Matthew went on ahead, their horses trotting merrily along the trail.

"Your horses are beautiful, Dean-san."

"Thanks!"

"Do they have names?"

"Well, mine is Buck. Matt's is Oleander, Al's is Bianca, and yours is Li'l Lily."

"Those are nice names for horses."

"Yeah. When Al and Matt first came to the ranch, Bianca took a huge likin' to Al. She gets jealous if he picks any of the other horses to ride!" He laughed. "She's a feisty girl when she's irritated, so it's a good thing Al's good at handlin' her."

Kiku chuckled. "Well she certainly seems happy being with him."

"And what about you?"

"Wh-What?"

"Are you happy?"

"I-I… I'm afraid you are mistaken, Dean-san. I'm not with Alfred-san in that manner."

He laughed again. "No no, I meant are you happy being with Aunt Emily and the boys?"

"Oh… Yes, of course I am. She is a very good person, and so are Alfred-san and Matthew-san. You all are, the entire Jones family, from what I have seen."

"Aww shucks Kiku, thanks!"

"You're welcome. It's only the truth. I have never met anybody as kind as Alfred-san… and his family of course. I'm elated to have been included in his life to this extent. I'm very happy, happiest I've been in years, to be honest."

Dean smiled. "I'm glad." The horses continued to trot at an even pace.

"You like him, dontcha?" Kiku's eyes widened, but as he opened his mouth to retort, Dean continued. "I know the whole story, about why you live with Aunt Emily, ever since Al's and Matt's birthday party. It's easy to tell when somebody's infatuated. It's difficult to hide it from people, no matter how hard you try. Those adorin' glances you give him and how you always follow after him like a ducklin' would his momma, and the way you laugh at funny things he says, not to mention that there blush you're always sportin' around him, well… I just got suspicious!"

"But—"

"I won't say anythin' to anybody. I just asked her 'cause I was curious. Reminds me of my uncle."

"Your uncle?"

"Yep. The brother of my pops. See, he was like you, liked fellas I mean. Pops said he was a really nice guy. But then… well some mean-spirited guys killed him for being who he was, so I never got to meet him. He died before I was born."

"I'm… I'm very sorry, Dean-san. My condolences to you and your family."

"Ah, thanks. It's alright though. I never knew him, but that's not to say the whole concept doesn't make me sad when I think about it. His father kicked him out when he found out he was gay, and… well you can imagine what happened after that."

Kiku looked down at the mane of Li'l Lily, softly petting her.

"My pops was furious, 'cause that was his li'l brother, y'know? My grandpa wasn't the nicest of 'em all, so pops got outta that house as soon as he was old enough to have his own place."

"…that is such a sad memory…"

"Well, just felt like sharin'. I often get contemplative when I ride horses in the mornin'. Ha ha. I'm just glad your uncle isn't like my grandpa."

"Yes… I am as well…"

The four rode horses for about an hour and a half, and spent the rest of the day indoors, trying to occupy themselves with movies or video games until the Thanksgiving dinner was near completion. But Kiku, feeling he'd be seen as an ingrate if he didn't help, went downstairs to lend some assistance if there was need for any.

"Aww, that's okay Kiku, we're just about done here."

"Amanda-san, I apologize for not offering a helping hand sooner."

"No no! No need to apologize for somethin' like that! You're a guest here, it's alright!"

"But I am essentially eating for free, and that is something that requires compensation, at least in my mind."

"Emily, where did you ever find this boy? He's as sweet as honey."

"He's Al's best friend and goes to his school! Kiku's like that at home too, always helping around and doing things that he shouldn't worry so much about."

Amanda chuckled. "Well, I'll tell you what Kiku. You can help me clean dishes when we're all done eatin', is that fine?"

"Yes. I will gladly assist you with that."

"Great! Well, go call the boys. Dinner's ready!"

Alfred torpedoed downstairs once he was aware that dinner was ready, Matthew trying to catch up to him, and Kiku not even bothering to try. "Alfred-san is always so enthusiastic about eating," he said with a smile.

Kiku stood quiet for most of the dinner, watching the Jones family eat merrily and chat and laugh amongst themselves.

"—and what 'bout you Kiku?"

"…uhm, I'm sorry, can you say that again?"

"Spaced out huh? Ha ha! I asked, what do you wanna do when you graduate high school?"

"Oh. Uhm, I'm not sure yet, Amanda-san. I've been set on becoming a doctor, but I think… I will go for something I will actually enjoy."

"That's good! What did you have in mind?"

"I don't really know. People are telling me I have talent for many fields, but therein lies the problem. If I have so many choices, I don't know which one I'd be happiest with."

"Well, you take into consideration a variety of factors, like long-term ones. You need to survive financially, but if you don't love what you're doin', well then, is there really a point in the first place?"

Kiku nodded, eating some more of his turkey.

"So do you plan to settle down with a nice fella once you're an adult?"

Coughing, Kiku punched his chest, drinking some beverage to soothe his throat. "Uhm… e-excuse me?"

"Now Amanda why do you always gotta do that?"

"What're you talkin' about Ben?"

"Don't pay any mind to my wife Kiku," Ben said, ignoring the glare Amanda gave him. "She tends to poke her nose into things that don't concern her."

"It was an honest question!"

"I uhm…" He looked at Emily, receiving a guilty look back.

"I had to tell them why you were living with me Kiku. I'm very sorry."

"No, it's alright, Jones-san. I don't mind anymore if people my situation." He sighed. "To be honest Amanda-san, that isn't something I included in my plans for the future. I'm more concerned with working to get a career. Maybe, if there's time, I would consider a… partner. Perhaps."

"Is there a classmate you like?"

"Amanda."

"Ben stop interruptin'!"

"Kiku, as a fair warnin', the women in this family like to gossip 'bout things that, again, don't concern 'em!"

"And like the men don't have their own share of gossip? Please."

"Think of this like an interrogation. Don't say anythin' until your lawyer is present."

"Uh…"

"Change of topic," Ben began as he served himself some more mashed potatoes. "Emily, we heard 'bout your horrendous encounter with Louis this past summer."

Emily's face fell, focusing on her plate, the twins staying silent. Amanda slapped his arm. "Ben, that's even worse than what I was askin' just a minute ago!"

"It's okay Amanda." Emily sighed. "He already had his arraignment hearing, but I didn't want to drag the boys along. Currently he's locked up, but his trial will start in mid-January."

"You should've taken us…" Matthew said quietly.

"I didn't want to involve you guys any more than you had to be."

"But we're a family, and you shouldn't have to take on all of this yourself. We're still that… _man's_ kids, as much as I don't like saying it. And we're still Manuel's friends, if you don't remember. If we're not there to support him, then things will just get worse."

"I'm sorry Matthew…"

"It's okay. Just, next time you need to go to court for that, takes us too, okay?" He looked at Alfred who was playing with the cranberries absentmindedly. "I know I speak for both of us with this. Was Manuel there?"

"Maria and Jose were. They said he refused to come to the hearing which, actually, was perhaps a good thing."

"Why do you say that?"

"Believe it or not, your father is more infamous than we thought. There were reporters and a media circus."

"What?"

"Those years he was gone, he was traveling all over the state, from here to down south to up north, to the coast, the forest, the desert…" She huffed, tapping her fingers rhythmically on the table. "…for more than a decade he's been doing this to children of immigrant families. The entire state of California… What a despicable man."

Alfred finished his food, and then slid his chair back to stand. "I'm done. Thanks for the wonderful dinner mom, grandma, Aunt Amanda and Aunt Martha. I'll go wash my dishes."

"Oh, uhm, you're welcome Alfred," Martha said as she watched him walk to the kitchen. "But you don't have to…" He was finished before she could even complete her sentence. Everyone watched him walk up the stairs.

Dean looked at his father. "Pops, why did you gotta bring up somethin' terrible like that?"

"I didn't know he'd react that way."

Amanda scolded her husband for a good few minutes, Kiku making himself as invisible as possible, worrying for Alfred's well-being once more.

* * *

The plane ride back was quieter than it was coming to the ranch. Everyone tried to get Alfred's attention, but he was stoic the entire trip. He looked out the window into the clouds, his head resting against his hand, elbow situated on the armrest of the seat.

"Uhm, Alfred-san?"

He didn't respond. Kiku shuffled through his bag, taking out his laptop. "Would you like to watch a movie?" he tried to say in a chipper tone. "I have some of the animated ones you like."

"…I'm good, thanks."

"Oh… Well then perhaps… uhm…" His sentence trailed off as Alfred put his earphones in, closing his eyes. Crestfallen, Kiku stowed away his laptop, fiddling with his hands in his lap. Matthew patted his shoulder, trying to give him a reassuring smile.

"…it's not you Kiku. Al… just… I don't think he's ready to fully process this… situation yet. I know it's been almost 5 months since it happened but…"

"I understand, Matthew-san."

"If you'd like though, the two of us could watch a movie together?"

"You don't mind?"

"No, of course not."

Kiku didn't care which movie they played, so long as he was distracted. Matthew had been engrossed in it the entire duration, but when it ended and he looked at Kiku, he had fallen asleep. He noticed a sketchbook in his lap, the pencil nearly tipping over the edge of the seat.

_Oh, that's a pretty good drawing._ Matthew glanced at the page, his twin's slumbering melancholy perfectly captured in graphite and paper. He sighed, gently putting away the laptop. _This is affecting Kiku now too, when I hoped it wouldn't. Al's being selfish with his feelings._ _I have to talk to him._ He leaned his head back against the seat. _What a mess this all turned out to be. If only he hadn't ever come back to see us… What a piece of shit that bastard is._

When they arrived back in their own state, Emily took her parents home first, then Martha. She said nothing the ride back, except if the boys wanted her to pick up something to eat. When they declined, she focused all her attention on the road, eventually pulling up in their driveway.

Maria was outside, putting away the Thanksgiving decorations she had adorned her house with. "Oh, welcome back Emily. How was your trip?"

"Ah ha, well, we've had better turkey days!"

"…I see."

"Yours?"

"Good, good. We had some family from Arizona come over, so it was pretty busy the entire weekend." She waved at the boys who greeted her back. Manuel had his back to them, watering the flowers along the small hedge on the other side of the front yard. Alfred looked at him, hoping he'd turn around, but all he did was move to water another section of the yard.

Sighing, he walked to the front door and unlocked it, dragging his feet as he climbed the stairs to his room. The others followed, Emily slowly closing the door behind her.

"Are you sure you boys aren't hungry? It's almost 5pm."

"No, I'm good mom."

"I'm fine as well, Jones-san. Thank you though."

"Well, okay. Uhm, I'll order a pizza later then, around 7pm." They heard the upstairs shower turn on. "…I guess Alfred's going to stay cooped up in his room until tomorrow." Everyone unpacked their bags and reorganized their drawers. But even when the pizza came, Alfred didn't come down. Kiku took him a few leftover slices, slowly knocking on his door.

"Alfred-san, there are 3 pieces of pizza left. We saved them for you."

He still didn't answer.

"…I can wrap them in aluminum foil so you may eat them later?"

"…not hungry," he finally heard him say through the door. "I'm going to sleep early. Tomorrow we have school again. Good night Kiku."

"Yes… good night, Alfred-san."

Once again, he felt defeated. He put away the pizza slices in the fridge, then excused himself and retreated to his room. He lay on his bed, looking at the ceiling. _Alfred-san has fallen into that slump again. He's not speaking to anyone, even his own brother and I…_ His eyes began to water. _I don't know how to help him anymore. Talking to him isn't enough. My general support isn't enough. I hate to see him so sad. I hate it, I hate it, I hate it__…_! I don't know… He covered his eyes with his hand, sobbing softly, the hot tears slipping through his palm.

_I don't know what to do anymore._

* * *

A/N: I would've uploaded this chapter the weekend of Thanksgiving, but we went someplace where I couldn't connect to the internet, and then I had tedious finals to work on for my drawing class and animation class... so... yeah. And folks, remember to always back up any work you do digitally because if your file corrupts like my animation one did _at the last minute,_ then you are screwed. I was so angry and frustrated I almost cried and punched a hole through the wall, but luckily I had something to show for it, so I should be able to pass the class...

...so yeah that's why you're getting this chapter two weeks late. And it's also because I had writer's block, but they say to just write _something_ even if the block is there. I hope this chapter didn't sound like it dragged... That's not a good sign for my future career as a fiction writer, ah ha!

Coincidentally, I finished this chapter listening to Japan's MKC in the campus library. Whenever I feel uninspired with this fanfic, I try to listen to Hetalia tracks or go someplace where I know I cannot laze around. Most of the time it works. Eh, well my semester is over, and I'll be on winter break until late January, so the next chapter is, yeah you guessed it, the Christmas chapter. Uh, I hope it doesn't sound like this story is changing to a faster pace because I'm trying to be in sync with the holidays. I don't wanna rush it. With that being said, since I'm trying to synchronize my story in real-time, this fanfic will end next year, probably in the summer.

But anyway, hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving if you celebrate it, and I hope you're looking forward to the Christmas chapter! I'll start on it gradually and maybe that way it'll piece together smoother than some of my previous chapters. I reread earlier chapters since I started this story in 2010 and... I am very tempted to rewrite them all until I reach the chapter where there's physical proof my writing and characterization got better.

Look at that, I rambled again. Gosh darn it to heck. Erm, anyway, yeah, I'll see you guys next update!


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